Just as You Are
by heartforhumanity845
Summary: When Queen Poppy goes missing during a stormy night, all seems lost. Several years pass and everyone has given up hope, even the King, who has reverted back to his gray appearance. When Princess Willow receives a mysterious message hinting at the possibility of her mother's safe return, it is up to her and a band of misfits to find her and restore Branch's colors once more. Broppy
1. Chapter 1

_**Sometimes, even when everything seems to fall into place, change still has a way of bringing things along.**_

 _A Broppy fanfic_

Everything seemed to have its place. The Bergens had declared an official state of peace with the Trolls, and they had begun the tedious process of rebuilding all that had been lost since the entire conflict began.

Of course, no part of the activities went by without joyful singing and dancing involved. It was during this time that all the Trolls became even closer as friends, perhaps even family. The Snack Pack welcomed their newly colored friend Branch into their circle, who seemed slightly put off but willing to socialize with them. A big step for the once isolated troll.

The newly crowned Queen Poppy observed their interactions with a swelling of pride, crediting mostly herself for the gray troll's dramatic transformation. She watched as he helped DJ Suki lift firewood to a new location without argument, listening intently as she babbled about this, that, and the other thing. For a moment, his eyes flicked to hers and he rolled his eyes dramatically, making a yapping mouth with his hand and gesturing to the redhead troll. Poppy snorted, covering her obvious grin. She would have joined them, but her new position warranted more pressing attention than she had liked.

"Ah, everything is coming together nicely! Isn't it, Poppy?"

The grandeur tone of her father's voice brought another ear-splitting smile to her face as she agreed whole-heartedly with his declaration.

"It seems so. It's only been a few weeks and we are already almost done with the reconstruction of the damaged pods!" She piped happily. The former king gave a hearty chuckle.

"Indeed. You're doing a fine job, my dear." He said, giving a generous ruffle to her hair. She swatted his hand away playfully, emitting a bubbly giggle herself.

"Yo, Queen Poppy!"

The fluorescent pink troll turned in just enough time to step back and allow her four-legged friend Cooper land on top of the flower.

"What is it, Coop?" Poppy asked affectionately. She didn't use nicknames often, and when she did it was to let the other party know not to take her too seriously. As she expected, the goofy creature laughed and produced a scroll from beneath his green cap.

"River and Stream wanted to ask if these plans for the new children's center looked alright before they started." Poppy gently took the plans from his outstretched limbs, his long neck craning to catch a peek at the plans himself as she reviewed them.

Nodding absentmindedly, her smile grew and ultimately, she was beaming.

"Everything is perfect! Give my compliments to them!" She gushed, handing the parchment back to Cooper before he took off in the direction that he had come.

"Well. If you have everything under control, I think I'm going to go catch a few winks." Peppy declared, giving a cacophonous yawn. Poppy smiled yet again.

"No problem, Daddy. Get some rest." She conferred as he walked away. The sunlight was dimming away for the day, and the hazy orange and gold of dusk cast its rays onto their building sites as the trolls also began to wind down. She blinked several times, realizing that perhaps her father wasn't the only one who needed a nap.

She returned to her abode ready to collapse from the work of that day. Being royalty was something she was used to, but being Queen was entirely different than just being a right-hand Princess to a King. Regardless, the heavy draw of sleep was like weights on her eyelids, and in a heap, she collapsed onto the mattress of her quite comfy bed.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 _Tap! Tap! Tap!_

She stirred slightly.

 _Tap! Tap! Tap!_

Her eyes fluttered open and the room was a blur as her vision came back into focus.

 _TAP! TAP! TAP!_

"Okay, okay! I _hear_ you!" She called out, smoothing out her mussed hair back into its ponytail and straightening her dress out before heading to the door. A familiar face peeped at her through the small circular glass pane in the door, and waved promptly as she neared the handle.

"Top o' the evening to ya, Poppy!" Biggie piped happily as his eyes met hers. She rubbed at the sleep in them, yawning.

"What _time_ is it?" She questioned, dreading the answer seeing as her big friend had said _evening_.

"Ten thirty!" Biggie replied almost too cheerfully. Poppy groaned, leaning her head against the door frame.

"Ugh, Biggie, couldn't this have waited until morning?" She protested.

"No, no! Well, you see….I seem to have misplaced Mr. Dinkle's hat….and I can't find it anywhere. I was hoping you'd held me look for it." He explained, gesturing to the little worm cradled in his arm. Indeed the troll observed his barren head, his glittery eyes staring back at her. Rolling her own eyes, she gave a heavy sigh and stepped out of her pod, shutting the petal door behind her.

"Lead the way." She ordered. She could have sworn she caught a glimpse of her friend hopping giddily out of the corner of her eye before regaining his composure and following her command.

Onward they trudged through the forest brush, rustling the tall grass and grazing by towering flowers that reached well above the tips of their fluffy hair.

"I really appreciate you doin' this fa me, Poppy. I know you've been workin' like a dog these last few weeks." Biggie emphasized as they continued their distance away from Troll Village. Poppy's demeanor softened at this. Who was she to deny aid for a dear companion?

"Anything for a friend." She replied warmly. Biggie smiled as they reached a particularly close group of trees. Putting a thoughtful finger to his chin, the large blue Troll skimmed the scene ahead of them before perking up at the place he had wanted to find.

"In here! This was the last place I remember seeing it!" He called as Poppy sprinted to keep up with him. One thing that came with being taller was also a longer stride, and when Biggie was in the mood, he could easily leave all of his friends (save for Cooper) in the dust. Her little legs carried her quickly to catch up, her breathing slightly elevated as she met her friend as the base of one specific tree. This one was towering like them all, but was sprouting a particularly vibrant shade of green from its branches. It was almost fluorescent in hue. She gazed at it in awe. Biggie pointed to something below them.

"I think it may have fallen into there." He guessed, and Poppy followed his finger into the dark abyss of a hole at the tree's roots. Leaning as far over as her weight would allow, the pink troll peered into its depths cautiously. After a few moments, she shook her head.

"Biggie, I don't think it's-!" A sudden blunt force shoved her over the edge, sending her hurdling a few feet downwards until meeting the soft, dusty cushion of dirt. She screamed the entire way down, the wind being knocked out of her before she threw her head upwards.

"What the-Biggie, what the heck was _that?_ " She screamed back up to the shadow that loomed over her, looking down to see if the fall had injured her. Relieved to see that it hadn't, the larger Troll readjusted Mr. Dinkles in his arm and gave a goofy grin.

"Sorry, Poppy. It's for your own good." He called down. Poppy's eyebrows arched in confusion.

"What do you mean for my own goo—hey! Where are you going?" She cried as Biggie's shadow receded from the hole's opening, casting the thick moonlight in a beam onto the floor where she stood. "Come back here! I _command_ you get me out of this hole! BIGGIE!"

After yelling for a good ten minutes, the Queen decided that her friend wasn't coming back. In a huff, she sat down on the ground with her arms crossed. Pouting. What on _earth_ was going on? Why had he shoved her into this hole? What could he have possibly _wanted_ to accomplish by doing this?

A half hour passed before her ears perked at the sound of nearing conversation. She just about jumped up to scream for help when a familiar voice echoed into the vast space of the hole.

"What, right here? I don't see anything."

 _Branch._

What was _he_ doing out here? And who was leading him? Her answer came swiftly as DJ's voice rang out as well.

"I promise you, it's the last place I remember having it." She assured him. Poppy's eyes narrowed in suspicion.

 _What is going_ _ **on**_ _?_

A shuffle of footsteps and a shadow reappeared in the opening to the drop, and Poppy squinted to make out who it was. The moonlight cast a glow onto the ultraviolet locks of the shadow, and instantly she realized which troll had ventured closer. Her eyes widened and she opened her mouth to yell.

"Seriously, are you sure it's-!"

Branch's abrupt scream made her choke back her words as the blue troll tumbled down into the hole. Instinct took over and she lunged in the direction he was going, throwing herself onto the ground to cushion his fall. It seemed to have worked as the swift force of his weight toppled on her, knocking the air out of her for the second time that night.

In a chaotic scuffle of gasps for air and shifting bodies, Branch scrambled his way backwards in preparation for what could have possibly broken his fall. The moonlight gave little light for him as his eyes adjusted to the dim abyss, squinting his eyes into the dark to make out the shape in front of him. A series of coughs erupted from the form as the dust settled around them. It seemed as if the moon's rays began to shine brighter as it did so, and his heart began to pound as he laid eyes upon the one troll he wouldn't have wanted to be stuck in such a pickle with.

"Poppy?" He asked in uncertainty, and the pink troll brushed the dirt off herself.

"Glad to see you could join me." She replied. That made him smile inwardly. Poppy had begun to pick up on his sarcasm for a while, and something deep inside him was proud to have instigated this. Regardless, it did not answer his million questions that ran through his brain.

"How did you-?" He began to question, but couldn't find the words to say. He was too occupied with the shock of being alone with her for the first time in weeks. The two had scarcely had the opportunity since the victory over the horrendous Chef. Mostly, they had just exchanged flirty glances and gestures when passing by, though the intention of such interactions was still somewhat fuzzy to him.

"Same as you. Lured here under the goodness of my own heart." She explained, shaking her head. Branch chuckled at that. Her magenta orbs shot up to his crystal blue ones, giving a small glare.

"What's so funny?" She snapped. He threw up his hands in defense.

"Nothing, Dumpy Diapers." He replied, jabbing a little joke at her with the intention of lightening her mood. Thankfully, that's exactly what he got when her expression softened and her lips curled into an amused smile as her head shook in disagreement.

"Pretty sure that was _you_ who earned that nickname from Cloud Guy." She answered. Branch chuckled yet again, standing up and helping his Queen to her feet.

"Guilty as charged." He agreed. Poppy smiled at that.

"So, any idea why our friends sent us hurdling into a hole in the middle of the woods?" She asked. Giving a frustrated sigh, Branch's expression twisted into annoyance as he looked around.

"I don't know, but they're definitely getting payback. Count on it." He declared firmly, looking around for any sign of something that could help them. Poppy did the same, and for a few moments the two ignored one another in search of any solace in the lonely space. Poppy eyed a crevice nearby that was darker than all of the rest, and nearing it she placed a hand on its edge, running her fingers along until she realized it was wide enough for her to fit in it. Sticking a foot in, she felt a cool breeze drafting its way past her foot and into the hole. Beaming, she turned back to her companion.

"Hey Branch! Come over here! I think I found something!" She called, and in no time the blue troll had made his way over to her and investigated her discovery. A small smile came across his face.

"Good work, Poppy! It's a tunnel!" He said, squeezing himself into the opening with Poppy close on his heels. The two entered a narrow but passable root tunnel, darkness enveloping their vision. Without a torch or even the moonlight to guide them, it was literally a shot in the dark to advance forward. Poppy jumped slightly as she felt a hand slip into hers.

"Stay close." Branch ordered, and Poppy willingly agreed as she pressed herself closer to him. Ignoring the emotions and temperature of her skin flaring up at his touch, she inched herself forward as he did so.

Silence was all that passed between them for a long time, both trolls on the edge of their seats the entire time without a single clue what awaited them in the dark tunnel. The air was cool and crisp, with a high-pitched drop of water dripping somewhere off in the distance. The ground had gone from dry and soft to cold and jagged, and it took every ounce of resolution for take each step deeper into the seemingly endless stretch.

Poppy felt something slimy slither past her toes, and with a blood-curdling shriek, she threw herself into Branch and clung desperately to his neck.

"Hey, hey, hey!" Branch protested, squirming away from her as she panted in shock.

"I-I felt something touch my foot…." She explained, trying hard to not sound too scared.

"Ugh, come on. It was probably just a worm." He chided, glad that the pink troll could not see the biggest eyeroll he had ever given in his life.

"Well _you_ try walking through this muck and tell me you won't freak out if something passes you!" Poppy snapped back.

"Uh, hello! I already _am_!" He reminded her. This only frustrated her more.

"Yeah well, maybe _you're_ used to it, but I'm definitely not! I don't go crawling around in tunnels for fun like _some_ people I know!" She accused angrily. However, for Branch, it didn't take much to dig past the abrasive surface and see the true face of why she was acting in such a way. Though she still did not see it, his face softened and his shoulders slacked.

"Poppy…" He started, groping for her hand in the blackened air.

"Just leave me! I'll find my own way out." She snapped, and he could feel her warm presence retreat even further from him. Frozen he stood for a moment, before continuing his advance towards her. He wasn't about to leave her in this dark, damp tunnel if he had anything to say about it.

Poppy jumped once more as a pair of arms wrapped around her, and she could feel Branch's breath against her neck. It gave her goosebumps, and she relaxed into his embrace.

"I'm not leaving you here. You can forget it." He whispered sternly. Poppy's heart quickened at his matter-of-fact tone. It made every hint of malice in her being dissolve away. How could she be such a _grump?_ Without a second thought, her arm coiled around his that was steadily holding onto her across the chest.

"Branch…." She began, but suddenly lost the ability on what to say in such a moment. Thankfully her companion seemed to know her struggle, and took hold her hand once more.

"Come on. I have a good feeling about what's ahead." He said. She complied and the two continued on. It was about five more minutes past their little argument when they rounded a corner and were instantly pooled with soft moonlight. Ahead about five hundred feet, the small dot of an opening beckoned them. Never had it seemed so welcoming.

Light bathed their skin as they stepped out in what appeared to be a marsh, squishy moss growing rampant on every surface, even the murky water that sat stagnant just a few feet ahead. A significant log jutted out from the surface of the pond, with lily pads floating along in an almost pathway. Beyond was a small island about six feet in circumference, lush green sprouting from its dome in the softest looking grass the two trolls had ever laid eyes on.

"Where _are_ we?" Poppy inquired in wonder as they continued to soak in the setting surrounding them.

"We must be on the very outskirts of the forest. This is way out of the way from the village." Branch replied, his eyebrows furrowed in thought. The two decided to venture out onto the island, hopping and jumping from lily pad to log, and then log to island. Landing on the grass, it was just as they had suspected. Like stepping on a cloud. They scanned the area once more from their new position, and found that they were indeed in a marsh that stretched for at least twenty feet in each direction. A small cliff lifted above them on all sides up into the surface of the ground for the forest not too far from them, and it was with this realization that the two trolls decided it was time to make for the dry land.

Branch went first, sliding down the slope of the island on his backside with Poppy in tow.

Poppy looked to him sheepishly, rubbing her arm and allowing her gaze to fall to the ground as he continued to struggle to regain his balance to jump onto the log.

"Um….hey, Branch?" She said. The blue troll's eyes shifted to her, his expression relaxed but wary of what she would say. He started to stand up again, swinging his arms out to keep from falling but facing her dead-on.

"What is it, Poppy?" He asked. She dared herself to look him in the eye for a moment.

"….sorry for being such a grump. I guess being Queen is harder than I thought…." She apologized. She blinked rapidly as she felt him near her again, and her eyes locked on his as he smiled at her. A genuine smile, something she still rarely saw out of him, even after regaining his colors.

"Well….maybe you could use a little help." He stated softly. This made her posture stiffen and her eyes widen. It was no secret that Branch had rapidly become the most reliable and hard-working troll out of them all. He seemed to know exactly what to do in almost any given situation, and even if he didn't, he would help where he could. The village had come to respect him very much, and rumors of their relationship had spread to every troll, young and old. Poppy pretended to not know it existed to keep the chatter down, and it seemed that Branch had done the same. However, speculation still floated about in a buzz as everyone anticipated their next moves. Now, she braced herself for what could possibly be what everyone was waiting for.

"Wh-what do you mean?" She stuttered. No reply came for a moment as he took her hand in his for the third time that night, his grip tightening as he steeled himself on what he would say next. Inhaling sharply, he once again spoke.

"I think I know why our friends lured us out here." He stated. Poppy continued to obliviously stare at him, into those shining blue eyes that gazed back at her in a way she had never seen before. He was acting strange, but deep inside something swelled. Something she had begun to feel on that fateful day where he had broken his twenty-year streak and sung to her out of pure adoration. It manifested itself here, amongst the moss and depths of the pond, upon a small patch of land that stood beneath the moon's light. Fireflies had begun to infiltrate the area, sparking up the air with their rhythmic bursts of amber glow.

"Branch, what are you-?" Poppy started, but stopped as she realized he was continuing towards her. Before she could so much as react, his lips were on hers. Gently at first, then growing in fervor as she returned the kiss without so much as another thought. She surprised herself as she melted almost instantly into it, clasping his shoulders tightly to keep him right there. He didn't protest, and after what seemed like only a second, they broke apart. They rested their foreheads against one another's, and Branch spoke once more on a tone so low that she was convinced she almost didn't hear it.

"I love you, Poppy." He mumbled. Her eyes lifted to meet his closed eyelids, a smile spread across his face. She blushed deeply before releasing a sigh.

"I love you too, Branch." She whispered back, and the two sat in each other's company for what seemed like an eternity. Their hands were permanently cradled in each other's grasps, and it seemed as though the entire world had dissolved away, leaving nothing but each other. It was wonderful.

"It's about freaking time, you two!"

The voice startled them, and with a frantic glance around they spotted the Snack Pack on the edge of the marsh, waving to them. The sight of them made the two smile.

"They are so going to pay for this." Poppy promised with just a little malice to her statement. Still holding her hand, Branch chuckled.

"Something tells me their comeuppance will come sooner than you think." He responded mischievously, and the two squeezed their hands closer together as they started for their friends.

Everything had fallen into place, and the future looked so bright.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 **Hey all. This is my first Trolls fic, so I apologize if it seems odd or out of place. I mostly began writing this to take a break from my other fics on here (which I hope to return to in a little while) so for those who are confused, that's why. I hope you all enjoyed this first chapter and let me know what you think in the reviews. Ta ta for now!**

 **Sincerely,**

 **Heartforhumanity845**


	2. Chapter 2

_**On this day, the village was reminded of what pure and utter joy was like.**_

 __Along the babbling brook sped a couple of trolls that were quite familiar, scrambling to get to the biggest pod in the village before the main gathering showed.

A special announcement had been made to all of Troll Village just a day beforehand, announcing the birth of their newest monarch. It was much anticipated news for all of them, for they not seen a royal baby in almost twenty-five years. The wedding between Branch and Poppy had come as a little bit less of a surprise to all of them, but when they had given the word that they were expecting, the village teemed with excitement. It was all the talk for days afterwards, and people still babbled on about it to each other up until the very hour of the royal baby's birth. The gender, however, had remained under lock and key and it was with this small tidbit of mystery that everyone fought their way to where the King and Queen would introduce them to their bundle of joy.

Upon approaching their destination, the Snack Pack scanned the vegetation of the forest in hopes of catching a glimpse of the royal couple before the big reveal later on. Perhaps they would even get a private introduction, as Poppy promised them if they showed early enough.

"Any sign of 'em, Smidge?" DJ called out as the tiny troll stood on Biggie's shoulder and peered outwards. She brightened and pointed just south of where they stood.

"There!" She bellowed in her baritone voice. The group immediately followed her finger and laid eyes on the Queen, who was being ushered along by Branch into the side door of their pod. Though his official title _was_ King, Branch had emphasized to them specially to keep it as informal as they did before.

The Snack Pack bolted their way across and made a beeline for where they had seen the two standing, and it was upon nearing them at the door to their pod that both Poppy and Branch turned about to face their friends.

"Are we too late?" Chenille managed to put out through gasps for air as they all tried to collect themselves from the sprinting they had just been doing. Poppy beamed, exchanging a loving glance with Branch before looking back to them.

"Right on time." She assured them, and with her gaze downwards, it was then that the group noticed the beautifully laced baby blanket adorning the Queen's arm, the curve of a bundle held tightly in her arms. They all shuffled closer to her, craning their necks to catch a glimpse.

The very tiny troll had teal skin with many glittery freckles upon her cheeks, a tuft of indigo blue hair protruding from the folds of her blanket. A small white flower headband had been placed on her head and as they all continued to watch, her large eyes fluttered open and revealed a vibrant pair of magenta orbs. A collective gasp of awe crashed over the group.

"Everyone, meet Willow." Branch announced softly to them, and it was then that the entire gang babbled their congratulations and exchanged hugs with either of them.

"She looks just like you, Branch!" Satin gushed, and it was at this the royal couple blushed heavily.

"Yeah, I'd say she has a resemblance." Branch sarcastically teased, earning a playful elbow in the side from Poppy.

"Except for those eyes! Those are _definitely_ Poppy's!" Biggie pointed out. Poppy felt Branch's arm snake around to pull her close as they continued to revel in their daughter along with their friends.

"Yes, they are." Branch mumbled softly in confirmation. Poppy gave him another loving look, and she rested her head against his as Guy Diamond began to sing for their child. Sparkling like a billion stars, he held a hand to his chest as he busted out his statement.

"You are _beeeeeee-a-utiful,_ Princess _Wii-i-i-illow!_ " His auto-tuned voice was full of excitement for the three of them, and it took no effort at all for the entire group to begin singing in celebration. Poppy and Branch laughed.

"Okay guys, as much as I want it to continue, we still have to introduce her to the _rest_ of the village." Poppy reminded them, jerking her head in the direction of which they had been going before the gang stopped them.

"No problem, Poppy!" concurred Smidge.

"Yeah, no problem girl! We'll be waiting right here for when you come back!" DJ Suki assured them. The two trolls smiled once again at their friends, Branch putting a supportive hand on the small of Poppy's back as he led her back on the walkway to the balcony of their pod. The Snack Pack waited for a few minutes to see what would happen, but couldn't contain themselves for much longer.

"Wow, she's really _somethin'_ , isn't she?" Cooper chimed.

"I'll say! Did you _see_ those eyes? And that hair!" Chenille added. "Her freckles! How they sparkled!"

"Branch is gonna have to keep a lock-down on her when she's older!" DJ joked, and they all laughed. In all seriousness, she was perhaps one of the prettiest trolls they had ever seen. They continued to babble their excitement until the eruption of sharp cheers from the crowd outside indicated that now everyone was acquainted with the tiny troll Princess.

"Ooooooohhhh we _have_ to design some outfits for her!" Satin piped. Chenille bobbed her head up and down in over-zealous agreement.

"I want to gli-i-itterfy her entire room!" Guy Diamond chimed in.

"Oo! Do you think Poppy and Branch will want some lullaby tunes?" DJ added, bopping her head back and forth.

"Yes, yes, and yes."

The gang turned around to face the new parents once more, who had heard every word of their conversation. In excitement, they looked to their bracelets as they chimed to life.

"Hug time!"

Every single troll present huddled together and embraced. Beaming with joy, their eyes shot open as a very audible babble came from the center of the huddle. Pulling away they observed Princess Willow looking up at all of them with curiosity, giving the tiniest smile.

"She really is beautiful, you guys. You should be proud." Biggie said warmly. The couple only nuzzled closer together with their daughter between them cooing. It wasn't long after that that the Snack Pack had to disperse and return to their duties for the day, each bidding farewell to them and the tiny princess. After seemingly everyone had left, the bright pink Queen of the Trolls sighed.

"Well, I suppose I should go with them…." Poppy began, but felt Branch's hand gently grip her shoulder to stop her. Whirling around, she looked at him in confusion. The sternest look was on his face.

"Oh no, you don't. _You_ need to stay here and take care of Willow." He said. Poppy's eyes flew open wide.

"B-but the work that needs done!" She argued. Branch shushed her gently, now holding onto both shoulders as he turned her at a 180 to face the inner parts of their pod.

"I'll worry about all of that. You just rest and watch over our daughter." Poppy pouted in protest, but one kiss on the cheek from her husband silenced her opposition. Reluctantly, she continued her journey into the pod, with Branch watching them go fondly. He wanted to stay as well, but was determined to give Poppy her much-needed rest.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The dark cave glittered with green light, casting a sickening glow upon the inhabitants of its damp quarters. The scene of the Princess' introduction to Troll Village replayed across the polished surface of a crystal ball.

"Are you sure that _this_ is the Troll you're looking for?" He asked.

"Yesssssss." A gravelly female voice hissed, raising a single jagged finger to the small bundle in Poppy's arms.

"Well then, what are we waiting on? Let's attack tonight!" The first voice barked impatiently. The jagged finger stabbed into his shoulder.

"Not yet….she is much too small right now. Let's allow her to _grow_ a little, shall we?" The two began to laugh maniacally, watching the scene play over and over as the Trolls cheered for their newest monarch.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Alright, a liiiiiittle to the left."

Harper was busy straightening out her sign for her new art shop, along with Smidge and Cooper's help. The two trolls obeyed carefully, teetering on the edge of a twenty-foot drop.

"Stop! Stop!" They both froze. Harper beamed.

"It's _perfect!_ " She gushed, clasping her hands together excitedly and marveling at her work.

"You can say _that_ again, Harper! Great job on your sign! It looks beautiful!" Biggie encouraged her as he came up to her side. She eyed Satin and Chenille not far behind him, and she gave a thankful nod.

Nearby, Guy Diamond and DJ Suki were busy setting up speakers for the acoustics to the celebration of the end of construction. The Trolls literally found anything and everything to have a party about, and this was no exception. With the end of the repairs in sight, most of the village found it more than reasonable to celebrate its end.

"Whatcha think? There or here?" DJ asked, pointing to the two spots she was contemplating on placing a specific speaker.

"Whatever you feel will make the sound electrify!" GD encouraged. She smiled.

"Thanks, Guy Diamond. I can always count on you for sound advice." She confided happily, scooting the speaker a little farther back before allowing it to rest in its permanent spot. GD gave a thumbs-up.

"Yeah!" His cheer was short-lived as he noticed DJ's expression fall to curiosity. He frowned.

"What's the matter, Deej?" He asked. The orange-haired troll shushed him and pointed him in the direction of her stare. He followed, and noted Branch standing alone atop a particular flower, watching all of them intently but quietly.

"Why isn't he with Poppy and Willow?" GD asked in concern.

"He's probably making her stay behind to rest. C'mon. We've got some convincin' to do." DJ demanded, gesturing for the sparkling troll to follow her. The rest of them would sooner jump into a Bergen's mouth than see their friends so stressed out and unhappy. And it was clear by their blue friend's expression that he was trying hard to hide his discomfort at being away.

It seemed that the two had not been the only one to sense the King's distress, as DJ and GD noticed Smidge, Biggie, Satin/Chenille, and Cooper making their way towards the place where he stood. Of course, Branch spotted them long before they could advance too close, but it did not stop them from climbing atop the flower and facing him.

"What do _you_ guys want?" He asked, crossing his arms suspiciously.

"Uh uh. You are _not_ grumping your way out of this one!" Chenille replied with a sassy hand on her hip.

"What are you talking about?" He questioned.

"You need to go home." Satin stated plainly.

"What? No. I _need_ to let Poppy have some rest and take over for her for a little while." He corrected her. Shaking his head, GD decided to interject.

"Branch, dude….you shouldn't be here."

"Yeah, Branch! Willow is just as much _your_ daughter as she is Poppy's! You guys are in this together, and you should _stay_ together right now." DJ pointed out. Everyone nodded in agreement as Branch shook his head.

"No, no…. _some_ body has to oversee everything, and Poppy's been working herself entirely too hard. I _have_ to stay." He argued back.

" _ **No**_ , you don't. Now go home to your baby." Biggie said, beginning to shove him along. Branch opened his mouth to protest again but someone else cut him off.

"C'mon Branch man, don't be a party pooper! We got this!" Cooper joked only halfway.

"Yeah, we'll take care of everything! You can count on us!" DJ conferred. They watched as their King's shoulders slumped in defeat and he faced them.

"Well…since I won't be convincing you guys into _anything_ else." He finally complied and the gang nodded collectively, shooing him off before returning to their duties. Just to make sure, Smidge and DJ busied themselves in watching Branch leave and start down the path to the royal pod. Once he had disappeared, the two high-fived and scampered away to return to work.

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Returning to the calm and peaceful walls of their secluded pod (at Branch's request, which Poppy was more than happy to oblige), Branch found what he had hoped to find. Poppy was fast asleep in the rocking chair that Biggie and Guy Diamond had made them. Willow was in her crib, completely passed out as well. Gently he smiled, leaning his body against the doorframe and watching them for a moment. He eyed the crib, and without fail made his way to its side to gaze down at the occupant.

It was almost as if she sensed his presence, opening her shining eyes and grabbing at him while babbling incoherently.

"Hey there, twig." He mumbled affectionately, taking special care to not wake his sleeping wife as he lifted the tremendously small troll into his arms. Willow shrieked with happiness, flailing her little arms about before being gently shushed by her father.

"Ssshhhh….let Mommy sleep." He whispered, doubting that the little girl could understand him but gave it a shot anyways. As if she had, the baby's volume seemed to drop as she let out another round of cooing.

"Heh. Smart little thing, aren't you?" He murmured in wonder, watching his daughter grab for his finger. Her tiny hand barely wrapped around it, and he considered her eyes. Those vibrant pink eyes that she had stolen from his beloved Poppy. They complimented her complexion perfectly, and with one finger he hooked a strand of her indigo hair. Twirling it about, he watched her face contort in amusement as she giggled. He smiled widely.

"Willow." He said in a hush, cradling his little child well into the night and continuing to admire her for who she was. What she meant for Poppy and himself. Their love was forever sealed and proven with her existence, and it was the most tender thing the once-hardened troll had ever experienced.

Nothing could possibly ruin his happiness now. He had everything he ever wanted.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 **Okay, a LOT shorter than the last chapter, but I hope to make up for it in the next installment. Thanks to everyone who reviewed and favorited this fic, it really means a lot to me and gives me courage to keep writing. I truly enjoy it and I try to make it show through my works. If you would like, please leave a review with your thoughts. Thank you!**

 **Sincerely,**

 **Heartforhumanity845**


	3. Chapter 3

_**The Princess grew in grace and beauty, inevitably preparing for her royal duty.**_

The forest had become a world of white, sparkling with freshly fallen snow that boasted a Troll's height. With such information in mind, the inhabitants of Troll Village ventured out into its frigid depths cautiously. They were bundled in the thickest wool scarves and hats. Some were neutral in color, but most adorned hues that complimented their natural complexion.

Skidding past on a sled, a particular Troll sported a white crocheted beanie and a scarf that was much too long for her, flapping behind her rapidly as she soared across the amazingly packed snow. Her bright teal ears poked out indefinitely, almost too large to be contained under the hat. Her also too-large white sweater reached her knees in a baggy fashion, and her expressive pink eyes gleamed with anticipation at the trail ahead. A sharp force knocked into her and she shrieked in surprise, only to beam from ear to ear as she realized who had run into her.

"Alright, Princess, let's see what you got!" The giraffe-like creature teased, swinging a leg back to pick up his speed. The little Troll followed suit, and watched in surprise as her friend gained on her yet again. Scrunching her face in determination, she began thinking about the only way she could surpass him.

Whipping her head about to stir up her locks, she extended her cobalt blue hair to a branch above, catapulting herself forward.

"Hey! No fair! You can't use your hair!" Cooper protested, but the girl paid him no mind as she continued to use her volatile strands to fling herself further and further ahead.

"Don't worry, Coop, we've got 'er!" DJ Suki and Guy Diamond called to their quadruped friend as they also stretched their hair towards her. It wasn't long before they caught up. Having been adults, their hair could stretch much farther than the eight-year-old princess' could. Regardless, the little girl did not go down without a fight, which the two admired. She whipped and spun around every obstacle that presented themselves in her path, and indeed she was quite the hard thing to catch.

Eventually, GD and DJ combined locks and shot them forward, sending Willow flying from her sled into the air. The group gasped in shock, worry riddling their features as they watched the small monarch fly through the frigid air, screaming. A heavy _thud_ was heard, and it was with horror that they realized she had landed in a tree. Silence fell for a long moment, and the gang's worry escalated as there was not a word from her.

Out her head popped, her beanie hanging slightly off her head as she beamed at them. She giggled, climbing onto the sturdy branch nearby and dangling her feet over. The glitter on her tan snow-boots flashed in the bright mid-day sun.

"That was _AWESOME,_ DJ and Guy! Do it again!" She bubbled. The group sighed in relief and were about to reach up for the girl, but another voice stopped them.

"I don't think so."

They turned to eye Branch standing nearby, his arms crossed in disdain and his expression tight with frustration. He wore a pair of earmuffs and a scarf, his usual outfit on underneath.

"B-Branch!" Cooper exclaimed. The King shot the three trolls a glare, and they instantly clamped up. He came to stand at the base of the tree where his daughter sat above, looking up at her with his brows furrowed. He pointed a finger to the ground and jerked it downwards.

"Get down here. _Now._ " He ordered. Willow rolled her eyes, obeying her father as she created a staircase with her hair and sassily sauntered her way down to his level. Once there, her own expression twisted into one of irritation.

"Da-ad! We were just having _fun_." She protested, gesturing to her three companions and they all nodded in agreement. The blue troll looked to his mini-me with a very judgmental glare, his arms crossing once again.

"Fun at the expense of you falling and breaking your neck? Not on my watch, young lady." He replied without fail. Willow groaned, giving just as a haughty glare back at him.

"Oh Branch."

The entire group turned to look at the Queen, dressed in a tan coat and earmuffs that looked as soft as the clouds. The snow complimented her hot pink complexion and her hair was in its usual ponytail atop her head. Approaching her husband and daughter with a smile, she placed a supporting hand on Willow's opposite shoulder.

"You're too hard on her. She's just having fun." She assured him. Triumphantly, Willow smirked as Branch's scowl slightly deepened.

"Poppy, I-!" He began, but a squeeze of her hand slipping into his stopped him. His face instantly fell to surprise, and she smiled at him. Willow giggled.

"Works every time." DJ mumbled to GD and Cooper, who also snorted to hold back a laugh.

Since their daughter had been born, the grumpy troll had reverted back to some of his worst habits when it came to Willow's well-being. Worst case scenarios and constant tests of survivalist tactics were the two strongest, and not a day went by to where he didn't fuss about her in some way. Much to his chagrin, his significant other was a lot more lax on many things, though he didn't have the faintest idea why.

"Hey, Willow!"

They all turned to look at a pair of troll children standing nearby, sleds propped up in their hands as they waved to her. The little Princess beamed. Looking to her parents expectantly, it took a moment before Branch's smile also crept along his face.

"Okay. Fifteen more minutes, then it's back home. Got it?" He said. She could not bob her head fast enough before snatching up her own sled from GD and rushing over to her friends. The couple then began a trek on their own along a more secluded walkway that led back to their pod that they shared with Willow and Peppy.

"You really are way too hard on her." Poppy reiterated as they continued down the snowy path back to the village.

"And _you're_ way too soft. There has to be a balance _some_ where." Branch retorted, his brow furrowing again as his wife tried to justify their child's actions.

"She'll learn that balance on her _own_ , Branch. But we need to give her the opportunity to _find_ it." She replied softly with concern. Branch just scoffed and rolled his eyes before a hand on his cheek made his eyes wide again. He looked to her and she smiled gently, her eyes softening again as she looked to him.

"Willow's not going to be a little girl forever, Branch." The truth stung a little and he knew it to be true. He grimaced and reached for the hand that was cupping his cheek and gave a heavy sigh.

"You don't need to remind me." He emphasized, a small bite of frustration in his tone. Poppy smiled again.

"Okay." Her simple reply was enough for both, and with a light peck on his cheek the two hugged tightly. Pulling away, Poppy's hand once again found its way to the side of Branch's face.

"You're doing a great job being a father." She praised on a hushed tone, and she watched the slightest tint of darkened blue fade across his ears and cheeks. Poppy huffed a breathless chuckle through her nose as he scrambled within his own mind to think up a compliment to return. Unfortunately, the incoming whoop of their group of friends ended his chances of doing so.

"Hey you two! Get a room!" Guy Diamond joked as they sped past on a sled of their own.

"Pretty sure we already did!" Branch called back, not entirely picking up on the joke. Poppy just giggled.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Meanwhile, a very familiar pair of the Trolls' still new allies, the Bergens, were also enjoying the wintry scenery along with the other half of the Snack Pack.

"Wow, I never realized the forest could look like this!" Bridget declared in awe, looking around in absolute wonder.

"And this is just the aftermath. You should be here while it's falling!" Biggie pointed out, Mr. Dinkles cradled in his arm as usual, the tiny worm sporting a scarf of his own.

"Yeah, no kidding! And to think, we've been missing this for twenty years!" King Gristle exclaimed, throwing his hands up.

"Hey, it's not entirely your fault. You just had some pretty sour staff, that's all." Satin pointed out. The memory of the horrid royal Chef made them all cringe. Her whereabouts were unknown, but they were glad she was nowhere near them now. Along with the traitorous troll Creek, who had everyone in the palm of his hand in trust. His betrayal had hurt the most.

"Let's forget about that, please." Gristle urged, not wanting to think on the times before they had had the Trolls as their friends.

"You don't have to tell _me_ twice." Chenille chimed, scrunching her face in disgust for a moment before the group continued to venture through the winter wonderland. Trolls and Bergens alike scampered about in the forest, laughing and throwing snowballs at one another in one big snowball fight. It was quite the development to watch, and the brood could only stand and watch for the amusement.

"Hey Satin."

The troll turned to face her twin, only a second before ice-cold snow smacked her face with a _pffff._ She blinked several times, reaching up to wipe the frigid chunks from her eyes as Chenille rolled around on the ground in a fit of whooping laughter.

"Uh oh." Biggie commented as Mr. Dinkles gave a mew in agreement.

"Chenille." The mention of her name on sent the periwinkle troll into another round of laughter. She stood up to brush the tears from the corner of her eye, only to keep a tap on her shoulder. She turned around to a devilish grin before meeting a faceful of snow herself, making her reel back. Satin erupted in laughter at her reaction, and it wasn't long before they were all dragged into the fight as well, snow flying back and forth at record speeds as they fought to become the victor.

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Laughter echoed through the tree as the little princess scampered her way amongst its towering trunks, searching vigorously for her hidden friends. The hide-n-seek game was in full force, and unfortunately for the others they had deemed her as "it". Little did any of them know what they were getting themselves into.

Climbing yet another tree to get a better view, her bright pink eyes skimmed the ground below and noticed a trail of footprints off to the right. She immediately went to them and observed everything she could from them, determining that the indent was entirely too deep to have been pressed by a child. She scrunched her face in frustration. Looks as though she would have to keep looking. Luckily, the girl was as smart as a whip and had quite a bit of talent for this sort of thing. She was notorious amongst the youngsters of Troll Village for being a natural at playing games, especially those that involved logic. And hide-n-seek was an excellent example.

Throwing herself behind a bush, her sensitive hearing picked up on a rustle off to the east, followed by the sound of a scuffle. Straining her ear to listen, Willow also could distinguish a grunt or two of frustration coming from the same area, and cautiously she slipped from her hiding spot and inched her way closer to the source of the sound. Nearing it, her neck craned in curiosity and what she saw was the last thing she could have imagined.

Her so-called friends stood menacingly over a crumpled Troll on the ground, his tuft of flaming red hair vibrant against the pure white snow. His face was flushed with color as they advanced on him once again, and he thrashed away from them and kicked at the closest one's face as they knelt down to grab at him. The little troll's name did not come to her memory, but Willow did remember seeing him around a few times. He seemed quite the eccentric, being the laughing stock of the entire pre-school class.

"What's the matter, weirdo? Too scared to stand up and fight like a _real_ Troll?" One of the assailants teased viciously. The boy straightened out the goggles propped against his forehead before wrinkling his face in disgust.

"No. Because if I did _that,_ that would make me no better than you!" He snapped back. This only seemed to anger the other two boys as they lunged at him yet again, this time their fists meeting with his jaw. Willow decided that she had seen enough.

"Hey! What are you guys doing?" She cried, throwing herself into the mix and shoving them back, stepping protectively over the bullied Troll. Both boys looked at her in surprise before a sly look fell onto one of their faces.

"Don't worry, Willow. We're just showing this _freak_ what happens when he decides to cross our path with one of his weird toys." Willow's eyebrows furrowed. She eyed the crushed pile of metal and wood nearby, close enough to where she assumed it belonged to the young Troll that was currently in the boy's grip. Lifting her gaze to the bully once again, her expression turned sour.

"Last time I checked, Thorn, the forest doesn't have _your_ name written all over it." She replied. This startled him.

"Oh come on, _Princess._ Don't tell me you're _defending_ this freak of nature." The other troll, named Thistle, berated her. Willow crossed her arms and rested her weight on her one hip. A stance that she had picked up quite well from both of her parents when they meant business.

"Leave him alone or I'm getting my dad." She ordered sternly. A stare-down began between the three, with the bullied Troll glancing back and forth between them with his chest still heaving for air from the scuffle. After a long moment or two, Thorn hissed and kicked at the snow at his feet.

"Fine. You win this round, Willow. Have fun being _this_ loser's friend!" He said, shoving past her with Thistle not too far behind. She felt the specific jabs of daggers in her back as they glared at her until they had disappeared from the area. The distinct crunch of snow being packed further into the ground upon footsteps rung through the air as she rushed to the boy's aid.

"Wowza, you really showed them! And you didn't even lay a hair on them!" The boy praised, pulling himself to his feet with the help of Willow's outstretched hand. The girl smiled gently.

"I seem to have that effect." She replied.

"Well, anyways, thank you. I-I'm sure they were about to finish me if you hadn't come along. I'm not much good in a fight." The boy stammered, turning about to pick up the remains of his contraption. Peeking her head in interest, Willow's eyes stayed on his back.

"What's your name?" She asked. The boy's face fell and he whirled about.

"Sheesh how rude of me to not introduce myself!" He boasted, extending a hand. "The name's Verne." They shook hands tightly, and as he turned around again, her brow arched in confusion.

"Aren't you going to ask for mine?" She questioned.

"Oh I _know_ who you are. Everybody knows who you are!" Verne reassured her. "You're Princess Willow."

That slightly floored her. Though it was not fresh news, she constantly forgot that she was about as recognizable as her parents were to everyone in Troll Village. Taking a few steps forward, she began to help him gather his belongings that were completely drenched in half-melted snow.

"Do you need me to help you carry anything?" Willow asked him. Verne shook his head.

"Naw, that's okay, Princess." He assured her. Before she could point out that they were alone, he whistled off into the distance.

"Come on out, sis! The coast is clear!" He called. Willow's head once again tilted in confusion as she heard a rustle from about thirty feet away, and she watched as a flush of lavender hair pop into view, attached to very short troll who was wrapped in a scarf much too large for her, the ends dragging through the frozen ground. She also wore an over-sized coat, and all but her eyes and the tips of her ears were hidden beneath the substantial fabric wrapped around her. Willow jumped slightly as the eccentric boy had leaned closer to her to whisper.

"She isn't really my sister. I just call her that to make her feel more included." He confided in her. Willow's face fell and she frowned.

"Then who is she?" She question, but before Verne could respond, the little troll's high-pitched voice cut in.

"Who this?" She babbled. Her bright eyes searched Willow curiously. An exaggerated gasp from her left made both girls jump in surprise.

"Why Jules! You don't _recognize_ our Princess?" Verne jokingly mocked. The ultraviolet-haired girl shook her head, putting her hands up.

"Please, just call me Willow." The little girl emphasized. She didn't really care for her title, since from her limited experience, a troll's demeanor would change almost instantly when they realized who she was. And that was the last thing she needed from the incredibly shy little girl in front of her who couldn't be any more than three years old. The girl seemed to bury herself further into the coils of her scarf, her pupils barely peeking out to continue to watch her. She began to swing about in place and rock on her heels. A typical toddler move when they have nothing else to do. Picking up the last of his invention, Verne smiled at the young monarch.

"So, what brings you out here to the far east woods, Your Highness?" He asked.

" _Willow._ " She emphasized yet again, her ears slightly twitching in irritation.

"Oh, right, right, right." Verne immediately corrected.

"I was sledding with those two trolls….the ones that were beating you up…." She said, suddenly feeling very ashamed to admitting to having an acquaintance with the sour kids. Verne, however, didn't seem to care as he waved the statement away.

"Awh, don't worry about it, Willow. Wasn't the first time and it won't be the last." He stated. That only made her feel worse. As he turned around to fix the scarf on Jules' neck, she had another burning question in the back of her mind.

"Verne?" She began.

"Yes, Your Hi—I mean, Willow?" He quickly caught himself before he could feel the glare on his back.

"When you were fighting…why didn't you use your hair? Thorn and Thistle were….."

A Troll's hair was perhaps the most valuable possession they could ever own. It was extremely sensitive but strong when used in the proper fashion. Even for trolls as young as Willow and Verne, their volatile nature was almost inconceivable. At the pressing nature of the question, the princess watched as the young boy's ears pinned back slightly in anxiety and he kept his gaze set on Jules.

"I…I don't believe in using it." He said, squeezing his eyes shut for a moment. This surprised the girl.

"Never?" She pressed even further. Verne turned to her slightly.

"It doesn't do any good. Besides, I already told you I stink at fighting. Using my hair would have just made them mad."

Willow noted the boy's extremely intuitive nature, which was a quality that she herself possessed but had had yet to find in another troll her age. Although maybe…..

"Jules! Verne!" A female voice echoed in the distance. All ears perked to the cry, and before they could move, a troll with similar colors to Verne appeared in front of them and a wave of relief fell over her face.

" _There_ you two are! You had me worried sick!" She scolded, rushing over to them and bringing them into a hug. However, upon eyeing the third child her posture stiffened.

"Princess Willow!" She cried, her eyes widening.

"Hello, ma'am." Willow greeted politely.

"Oh, Verne. What were you doing _now?_ " She groaned as if the presence of the little girl meant that her son had once again stuck his nose in trouble. Which was not far from the truth.

"It's okay, Ma. She-!" Verne began, but Jules' tiny voice popped up.

"She save Verne from meanies!" She squealed. Willow's eyes widened a bit at that before another groan from the adult troll cut her bashfulness short.

"Oh, Verne. How many times _must_ I tell you? You can't bring your inventions out here!" She scolded yet again.

"But _Mom!_ I'm close to a scientific breakthrough!" Verne argued. At this, the troll just took a hold of either of their hands.

"Yes, well, it's almost four o-clock and your father is waiting at home for us." She reminded them. It was with this realization that Willow's eyes widened in horror.

"Oh no! It's been twenty-five minutes!" She cried, and the three other trolls looked at her in confusion as she scrambled away in the direction of her own home. Verne lifted a hand in the air to wave.

"See ya, Willow! Thanks again!" He called after her. Willow didn't look back as she jumped and skidded her way back to her pod, noticing how the lights were on inside. Her stomach did a backflip. This would not be a pleasant ending to the day.

Sneaking in as carefully as she could, she unwrapped the scarf from around her neck and reached up on her tip-toes to hook it onto the coat rack. Kicking off her boots, she began to make a beeline for her room in hopes that neither of her parents had made it home yet. She snuck down the hallway in a stealth-like mode, her footfalls barely audible to a normal range of hearing. Unfortunately for her, her father had an exceptional pair of ears.

"And what time do you call this?"

She grimaced in embarrassment, making a 180 and standing sheepishly as she faced Branch, who stood at the other end of the hallway with that stance she had down to an art, thanks to him.

"Dad, I-!" She began, but was cut off.

"I told you to be home in fifteen minutes." He reminded her. If she was braver, she would have given another eye roll. However, with the way he was looking at her, she chose to keep her sassiness at a minimum. For now.

"I know, I just….." She couldn't finish the thought. Did she dare tell him what she had done? Would it even make up for the fact that she was late for curfew? _Again?_

"You just what? Lost track of time?" He asked, knowing exactly the direction she would go. The two had had this conversation so many times it was like routine almost. Each time, his fatherly temper flared and he had to fight to keep from completely biting her head off, at Poppy's request. It only took one time of him laying into her so harshly to make her cry when the pink troll had scolded him into lightening up. Despite the fact that he was undoubtedly happy, it all went to the wayside when he had even the slightest inclination that his little girl was in danger. Which was almost every day.

Willow nodded bashfully, looking to the ground. Branch gave an audible sigh, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Willow, I give you a curfew for a reason. If you can't handle coming _home_ on time, how do you plan on being Queen one day?" He asked. Quite a heavy question for an eight-year-old. Thankfully, Willow was a little sharper than most, and it was with this knowledge that Branch suddenly made up in his own mind that it was okay to confide such things on his daughter.

"I'm sorry. I didn't realize the time and…I was actually doing something this time!" She tried to defend herself. However, it seemed to fall on deaf ears.

"I don't want to hear any excuses. This is the last time you're going to do this." He snapped.

"But Dad-!" Willow began.

"No buts, Willow! You have to learn to be responsible!" He said. "As a Queen, you're going to have to be!"

The little girl mumbled something unintelligible, and this only seemed to fuel his anger.

"What was that?" He hissed.

"I said if I even _want_ to be Queen." Willow said loudly, balling her hands into fists.

"What's that supposed to mean?" He said on a threatening tone. Depending on her answer, he knew that this would be the turning point of the conversation.

"What if I don't _want_ to be Queen? What if I just want to live like a normal troll?" Willow said in an almost-yelling tone.

"Well tough luck. You're _our_ daughter and that's your duty." He replied matter-of-factly.

"I don't want to!" She snapped back, beginning to go into her tantrum phase as her eyebrows furrowed and her posture leaned in slightly in a defensive manner.

"You can't always back away from things you don't want to do, Willow." His tone elevated as well, his stance hardening as well as he steeled himself for what was coming.

"Well I am!" She argued.

"YOU'RE GOING TO BE THE NEXT QUEEN AND THERE'S NOTHING YOU CAN DO ABOUT IT." He bellowed.

" **I HATE YOU!** "

That made all the heat in his blood run cold as his expression fell. There she stood, his only child, glaring at him with such a malice and her face flushed in frustration. Had those words really been from her? He couldn't believe it.

Willow turned abruptly and ran further down the hallway. Almost on cue, the Queen herself rounded the corner and frowned as she took in her daughter's expression.

"Willow, what's-?" She began, but the little girl shoved past her and disappeared. Poppy locked gazes with Branch, who just closed his eyes and released a heavy sigh, shaking his head.

The Queen of Troll Village could only imagine the exchange that the two most important trolls in her life could have had. Their arguments were almost legendary, though few actually knew the extensive nature of it. The Snack Pack was familiar with it but could scarcely offer any help. With as reserved as Branch was (a trait that had not fallen away with him when he regained his colors), Poppy had chosen many a time to not confide full details in her closest friends on the inner workings of the royal pod. She respected her husband's needs for privacy, and she herself wanted it in some degree.

"Branch…" She began, but the blue troll just held up a hand to silence her, turning around and receding back in the direction of which he had come. He had been going through a few blueprints up until Willow's late arrival home, and it was to his work table he returned to resume his work. Poppy just frowned again, watching him walk away before beginning to go back to her own activities. Something told her that he would not be in the mood to talk at that present moment.

Returning to the garden on the balcony, she tenderly lifted the watering pot from its spot and began to sprinkle the next flower bed with its contents.

"Hey, Poppy!"

Her gaze snapped up to eye Satin, Chenille, Smidge, and DJ standing below, waving up to her.

"We still on for tomorrow night?" DJ asked. The troll had completely forgotten about the arrangements she had made with the girls. However, confident that everything would be resolved soon, she nodded.

"Of course!" She yelled back. Satin and Chenille both gave two thumbs up and the brood waved goodbye. She waved back gently, allowing her hand to slow as her eyes fell to the ground in thought. Yes, she had to resolve this. She hated when things were tense between any of them. Her and Branch were one thing, but between Branch and _Willow_? She couldn't stand the thought of them fighting.

Determined, she set the watering pot back down and traveled back inside until she was in the doorway to the great room, watching her significant other piece together his hard work. His crystal blue eyes darted up to her for a split second before returning to the scattered papers across the work table. Poppy noted his hand tighten slightly around the pencil in his hand.

Inching herself closer, she placed a cautious hand on his shoulder from behind, sliding it forward until it was coiled around him. She rested her chin on his opposite shoulder.

"Care to tell me what happened?" She bravely questioned.

"Not really." Came his cold, flat answer. However, Poppy had been around him long enough to know that when he became shut-off like this, it was usually a subliminal sign that he wanted to say something more. In an effort to coax the further explanation out of him, she brought her other arm up and hugged him closer. He remained as rigid as ever. Not budging.

"I'm not going to leave you alone until you tell me." She said.

"I guess we'll be here all night then." He replied without hesitation. She sighed. As much as he had grown as a troll, she hated it when he allowed snippets of his old self to shine through in such a negative light. Ultimately, she knew he had definitely changed, but old habits die hard. He was living proof.

Seeing no other option, she decided to play dirty. She reached across and brought herself to the front of him, slinging one leg over him and sitting down promptly in his lap. Branch attempted to look past her, his hand still planted firmly on the table surface with the pencil digging into the nearest plan set before him. The pink troll cupped a hand to his cheek, bringing her lips to his neck and placing a few generous kisses there.

"Poppy…." Branch groaned in annoyance, trying hard to ignore the intoxicating smell of strawberries and sunshine emitting from her soft skin that brushed against him. Poppy knew she was slowly working on him, and continued her gentle assault on his senses.

"You can stop me any time." She reminded him in a mumble against his ear.

"That's a very weak threat." He retorted, both knowing perfectly well that he would never stop her. She shrugged, tightening her grip on his shoulder as she nuzzled herself as close as she could into his chest. She placed a firm hand against his chest, feeling his steady heartbeat beneath her fingertips. The rattle of his voice making its way from his chest to his lips hummed against the ear she had pressed to his sternum.

"Our daughter hates me." He said quietly. Immediately, she pulled away and gave an exasperated look.

"Oh, come on." She chided.

"She said it to my face, Poppy." He added bitterly. Poppy watched his expression twist in hurt. Contrary to common belief in the village, the King was quite emotional and took many things personal. This was the lowest blow he had ever received. She could tell by his completely defeated gaze.

"Branch, she's eight years old. You don't remember being a tad-bit dramatic at that age?" She asked.

"I don't recall ever telling anyone I care about that I _hate_ them. Annoyed, yes. Angry, yes. _Hate?_ Not so much." He replied plainly. Poppy sighed. It was clear that he was convinced, which meant there was only one thing left to do.

"Well, maybe you should go talk to her." She suggested. Branch scoffed at this, giving a quick flick of an eyeroll.

"Yeah. I'd have just as much luck getting Guy Diamond to stop glitter-fying everything he touches." He replied sarcastically. Normally, the Queen would have laughed at that, but she knew it was not the time.

"Oh come on, Branch. This isn't some stranger you had an argument with in town. This is our daughter. She'll listen. She always does." Poppy was right. As stubborn as Willow could be, she was not against hearing the other side out most of the time. Even so, the blue troll shook his head and sighed.

"Maybe tomorrow morning. I think we both need a cool-down for tonight." He suggested. Poppy tilted his chin towards her, and once his attention was fully on her, she smiled. Though it hadn't been completely fixed, she was happy that he had at least made up a time to amend things. To her surprise, he gave a weak smile back. She started to lean in for a kiss, but a sudden ring of the doorbell made them both jump away. Locking eyes again, Poppy held up a hand to silently tell him to stay put, and she got up to see who could possibly be knocking on their door at five in the evening. Most trolls were turning in for the day by this time.

Poppy opened the door to a mother and son standing respectively on the doormat. Their postures both stiffened immediately at the sight of their Queen, and the adult troll began to curtsy.

"Sorry to bother you at this hour, Your Highness. I know it is much too late for visitors." The troll apologized. Poppy waved away her curtsy.

"Relax, Rosemary. What can I do for you?" Poppy replied warmly. The light-yellow troll placed both hands on either shoulder of her son, who gave a nod to Poppy.

"You remember my son Verne?" She asked. Poppy smiled down at the boy, putting her hands on her knees for a moment.

"Yes, I remember. You made a very interesting presentation at the science fair last year!" She piped happily, and at this Verne beamed.

"Of course, Your Majesty! And thank you again for the ribbon." He said, looking away bashfully at the memory. Though his invention had failed miserably, the Queen had gone out of her way to present him with an award anyway. She had an idea of just how committed the young boy was to his work, and she admired such a trait in any troll under her reign.

"Verne was in a bit of a scuffle earlier today. Bullies, you see…." Rosemary began for him, and Poppy's expression fell as she straightened back up and listened intently. A small flare ignited in her at the word 'bullies', but chose to question the matter later.

"They crushed his….contraption and was protecting his little sister from them when….." She fought to collect herself before continuing. "…..Both Jules and Verne have told me in great detail how your daughter, Princess Willow, showed up and put herself in harm's way to get them away from my children. I just wanted to come and extend my gratitude. You've got a wonderful daughter on your hands, and I have no doubts that she will be an exceptional Queen someday." The mother was tearing up, and Verne offered her a sympathetic look. She squeezed his shoulders a bit in response, and Poppy herself was taken aback.

"It's true! She didn't even have to touch them and they ran away like scaredy trolls!" Verne confirmed excitedly. It was at this time that Poppy felt the undeniable heat of her husband behind her, a hand brushing against the small of her back. Judging by the look on his face when she turned to look at him, he had heard every word of it as well. Rosemary gave a watery smile.

"It means a lot to us that we have leaders who are not afraid to be _leaders_." She said. A very deep statement that resonated with both King and Queen. Rosemary gave another quick curtsy.

"That's all I needed, Your Majesties. Thank you." She said, guiding Verne along and leaving the two to their own devices. Poppy felt Branch's hand slip into hers and squeeze tightly, and she whipped her head back to study his expression. To her relief, it was one of resolute determination.

"I think I'll go talk to her now." He said softly but firmly. Poppy smiled and nodded, letting go of his hand and watching him disappear around the corner.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Willow's room was on the very far end of the pod, and her doorway was in fact just a sheet since a legitimate door was impossible for the structure. Upon reaching it, Branch cautiously pushed it to the side and surveyed the scene within.

Glow-in-the-dark stars littered the ceiling, and photographs hung all over the walls along with various strings of lights and paper lanterns. A large star map was pinned to the opposite wall, taking up the entirety of the upper half with little scribbles of notes all over in white marker. Most undoubtedly Willow's handwriting.

Speaking of the little girl, Branch eyed the bed where a large lump sat buried underneath the covers. Only the very tips of her hair poked out from underneath, and his eyes softened and the ghost of a smile was on his face.

He couldn't blame her for what she had said. As much as he wanted to convince himself otherwise, she truly was his mini-me. Stubborn, sassy, and quite the resourceful little one. She was quick on her feet and had quite a singing voice. The only hints that Poppy could even possibly be her mother was her gentle nature, her facial structure, and….those eyes. He couldn't look at them without becoming absolutely smitten.

He watched as the covers moved ever so slightly with the rise and fall of her breathing, and he sat down on the edge. He hoped that she would stir at the change in pressure on the mattress, but alas she stayed put. She truly was upset with him.

His mind went blank on what to do. He had come this far, now all he had to do was the hardest part. Finding the right words to say. No doubt in his mind that she was not in the mood to hear just anything, or even a specific thing. He had to tread lightly with her, unlike with any other troll he had ever encountered in his lifetime. Usually, if another troll had given him trouble, he would completely shut them down and avoid them at all costs. It was easy, and it came so naturally that he had managed to get on everyone's bad side at one point. All except for Poppy, bless her heart. She had never given up on him, and he was forever indebted to that.

Subsequently, the product of their special bond lay in misery just next to him, and he wanted so badly to make it right. Branch was not one to apologize for just anything, but in her case, he would apologize a thousand times over just to see her smile again. Willow had completely derailed him of any malice he could ever muster. Sure he had started down that path with Poppy the day he broke his streak and sang for her, but the tiny girl nestled in this soft bed had been the sealing factor. He was not the troll he used to be, and her existence was enough proof of that.

'What do I say?' He thought over and over, searching and sifting through his brain for an answer. Just a few moments later, a lightbulb went off. Perhaps he didn't have to _say_ anything at all.

He leaned in slightly, trying to see if he could make out any more of his daughter's form, but she truly was buried. He smiled again.

 _Don't go breaking my heart_

He waited. His singing seemed to resonate in the room, bouncing off of the walls and hanging in the air long after he had pushed the last note out through his teeth. Moment after moment slipped by, and his daughter had not budged. He sighed, deciding that perhaps he _should_ call it a night and pick it up tomorrow. Just as he shifted to begin rising from his spot, he heard the covers shift away slightly. His ear pricked in its direction and he turned to look.

 _I couldn't if I tried._

Music to his ears, literally and metaphorically. He knew that Willow could not resist singing along, it was one of her favorite numbers. Especially when he decided to duet with her on it. The last time they had sang it together was on her birthday, and it had been wonderful. Save for Poppy, their audience was non-existent as they belted out the tune throughout the forest alongside the brook. He had thoroughly enjoyed every bit of it.

 _Oh honey, if I get restless_

He beamed, his smile only spreading as Willow finally poked her head out from under the covers and looked at him. He was taken aback by the obvious irritation around them, red and puffy from crying. This had to be the worst fight they had ever had.

 _Daddy, you're not that kind._

She always edited it to fit him, and hearing her call him that was heart-warming. He looked down at her and she gave a weak smile, still laying completely flush against the bed with her head now propped at angle to look at him.

 _Don't go breaking my heart_

 _You take the weight off of me_

 _Oh honey when you knocked on my door_

 _Oo I gave you my key_

With each passing word, her face fell into a softer degree as she looked at him, never leaving his gaze. They continued like that for a few minutes, until the last words were sung and now they just sat in silence. He took in a breath.

"Willow…." He began. The little girl watched him intently to assure him that she was listening. "I don't expect you to understand everything I do for you. Or the things I tell you. I just want you to realize….that I'm on your side. Always."

He saw a small sparkle behind her magenta eyes as she took in his words. Several moments passed before she sat up and threw her arms around his neck. He complied and placed a hand on her back to hold her there for a long moment. He heard a sniffle, and with alarm he pulled her away to see her fighting back a new wave of tears. His eyes drooped in concern, and he reached up a thumb to brush away the accumulating liquid at the corner of her left eye. He allowed himself to hush her with a hiss through puckered lips.

"Shhh sh sh. Don't cry. Please don't cry." He pleaded softly. Willow could only wipe at her fresh tears with the sleeve of her sweater, furthering the irritation around her eyes. The wool was scratchy, but she didn't care. She watched as her father gently took both of her hands in his. "Just….promise me that you'll work on your curfew. Okay? Can you do that for me?"

Willow nodded very slowly, sheepishly lowering her gaze to the front of her sweater and beginning to fiddle with a loose thread. Branch smiled again, remembering what had inspired him to talk to her sooner than he had planned.

"You've got so much potential, Willow. Way more than I could ever _dream_ of having. You just need….a chance to find it." He said, echoing his wife's words from earlier. The little girl said nothing, but instead nodded and rested on top of her knees while facing him. He leaned over to give her a light kiss on the forehead.

"I love you, Willow." He said, meaning it in every sense.

Instead of returning the declaration, he once again found himself in her tiny but strong embrace, and this time he wrapped both arms around her, cupping a hand to the back of her head. Father and daughter held like that for what seemed like an eternity, and then Branch felt Willow slightly turn her head into him, still clinging to him.

"Dad?"

"Yes, twig?" He replied affectionately.

"…I don't really hate you."

He blinked back his own tears, releasing a strangled sigh and tightening his clutch around the tiny frame of his daughter. His crazy stubborn, relentless, compassionate firecracker of a daughter.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 **Welp, I held to my promise of a longer chapter! LOL**

 **Sorry for the mush, I just really love family dynamics, especially the bond between father and daughter. It is truly something else!**

 **Also, apologies if any of the characters seem OOC at any point, I try my best to capture their personalities in my works. However, with as light-hearted as Trolls is, it's slightly difficult to pinpoint legitimate characteristics to work with. Bear with me!**

 **Review if you like, I'll see you in the next installment! Thank you so much for reading!**

 **Sincerely,**

 **Heartforhumanity845**


	4. Chapter 4

_I told you to stay away._

Flashes of blood-red eyes, swords, and clanking metal shot through the depths of her brain at an alarming rate. She had broken out in a cold sweat, and with the blood-curdling scream playing itself in her memory, she jolted awake and sat up. Her magenta eyes scanned the dark room, noting the rippling shadows of the rain falling atop their pod. A rumble of thunder could be heard amongst the murky gray clouds outside, nightfall still in heavy effect. She felt her partner in bed stir, and his eyes were on her.

"Poppy?" His hoarse, heavily drowsy voice was incredibly adorable. She almost instantly felt more at ease at its sound. When she did not respond, the slowly tightening grip of his hand on her wrist was a pressure she didn't mind having. "What's wrong?" His question was heavy with concern as he noted her completely disheveled hair and wild eyes, as if she had not slept a wink in months. The fluorescent pink troll just offered a weak smile.

"Nothing. Having some trouble sleeping, that's all." She croaked in the best happy voice she could muster. However, Branch was not buying it. He firmly pulled her back down onto the mattress, enveloping her in his arms and pulling her as close as physically possible. He held her head to his chest and gave the crown a kiss.

"Not if I have anything to say about it." Incredibly attractive of him to say. Poppy said nothing, a smile gracing her lips once more as she closed her eyes and inhaled his scent. Earthen musk with a slight citrus undertone. So calming, so soothing…so… _Branch._

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Yo! Ya'll need ta hurry it up if we're gonna have this ready by this afternoon!" Cooper called out to a few trolls who were still setting up a refreshment stand for the gathering that day. It was supposed to be a meeting between the royalty of both Trolls and Bergens alike, with the Snack Pack accompanying them for moral and ethical support. Poppy was not shy at having her friends become privy to their most secret conversations. She felt it was better to have many inputs to everything that they chose to do with their allies.

"Awh lay off us, Cooper! We'll get it done!" One bright orange troll chided, waving the giraffe-like troll away with a flick of his wrist.

"I hate to agree with them, Coop, but they've got a point. They've set up for hair knows how many meetings now." DJ conferred.

"Besides, this meeting isn't supposed to take that long anyways." GD reminded both of them.

"Well, in the meantime, why don't we do something to take our minds off it? I can _feel_ the stress beginning to pull at me." DJ said.

"Yeah, no wonder Poppy is constantly exhausted!" Biggie agreed.

"We could sing!" Satin suggested.

"Or dance!" Chenille chimed, doing a little shimmy in place.

"Nah…..we already did that ten minutes ago." The pair's shoulders slouched in defeat. They all brainstormed for a hot minute, then Biggie beamed brightly.

"Oh, I know! How about a _game?_ " He gushed. They all smiled at the thought of that.

"Game?" They all turned to spot none other than Princess Willow making her way towards them. DJ Suki had promised both Poppy and Branch that she would watch the little girl for the day, as she did quite often. "Can I play?"

"Of course you can, Princess!" Satin piped happily.

"Yes but, _what_ are we playing?" Smidge asked. They all stopped for a moment, having not considered it.

"Tag?"

"Hide-n-seek?"

"Dodgeball?"

"Red Rover?"

"Truth or Dare?"

At the suggestion of the last one by Smidge, the group stopped and contemplated it. They all exchanged confirming glances and DJ beamed.

"Truth or Dare it is." She declared, and they all pumped their fists in the air excited.

"Oh, oh! I've got snacks!" Cooper exclaimed, but they all knew what that meant and didn't exactly jump on the opportunity to take up any of the cupcakes that suddenly appeared in front of him on a plate.

"Since it was Smidge's suggestion, she should go first." DJ said. The group chattered in agreement and the tiny troll looked around with joking malice for her first victim.

"Biggie. Truth or dare?" She asked.

"Erm….dare." Biggie said. A good answer. Everyone knew that only dare was really an answer, and if you chose truth all the time that it was no fun. At least, not in the way that the Snack Pack was used to. The group was infamous for their creative and slightly reckless dares. Biggie gulped as he watched the gears in her head turn to come up with something good.

"I dare you to….allow Mr. Dinkles to wander around on his own for a whole day." She said.

"Smidge! I can't do that! You _know_ I can't!" Biggie begged. It had not been the first time one of them had tried to coax the big blue troll into allowing his wormy companion to participate in a dare. Smidge held up a hand to silence him.

"Your punishment for not doing it is to run around Troll Village three times." Being quite the exercise fanatic, Smidge's punishments made everyone cringe. Biggie was not fast in any way, and because of his size he rarely ever used it to physically exert himself. Even so, he'd much rather brave the strain of running than allow his beloved pet to be left to his own devices. Begrudgingly, he stood up and began.

"I'll be watching you!" Smidge called after him and with a snort, GD laughed.

"So savage, Smidge." He commented. The tall plume of blue hair atop her head quivered as she shrugged in response.

"Well since he's doing a dare, who wants to go next?" DJ asked.

"Oh, oh! Me!" Cooper piped up. "Satin, truth or dare?"

"Truth." The light pink troll played it safe, earning a groan from everyone.

"Okay, okay. Out of _everyone_ in Troll Village, who would you most likely go on a date with?" Cooper asked.

A hush fell over the group as all eyes were on the fashionista troll. She smiled awkwardly, a small blush rising to her face. DJ gasped, covering Willow's ears.

"Cooper! Not with Willow here!" She said.

"Why not? It's not like we're going into _detail_." He argued. The orange-haired troll eyed the little girl who looked up at her in confusion and then sighed. She shot a 'if-you-hint-at-anything-else-I'll-kill-you' glare before releasing her hold on the child's ears.

"Uuuuuhhhhmmm….." The anticipation was heavy as they all waited for her answer. Bashfully, she glanced at the ground. "Pass."

"What? No! You _have_ to answer! It's part of the fun!" Cooper prodded.

"Hey, if she doesn't want to answer, let her. Give her a punishment and move on." DJ defended her friend.

"What about _you,_ Deej? Who would _you_ go on a date with?" Cooper questioned.

"You can't pick two people in one turn." She reminded him.

"Ya'll are no fun!" He whined, crossing his front legs in a pout.

"Well _maybe_ you should ask less personal questions!" Satin argued.

"But you _do_ admit that there _is_ a troll that you would?" He said, raising an eyebrow in suggestion. The pastel pink troll blushed yet again, and just to shut him up she nodded. The four-legged troll laughed.

"Good enough for me! It's your turn, Satin!" He reminded her. The troll looked about, then eyes fell onto the next victim.

"DJ, truth or dare?"

"Truth." They all groaned again, but went with it.

"Tell us a secret." Satin said. As one might guess, the twins were the biggest gossips in all of Troll Village, and were always looking for new material to spout among their other friends in town. With this knowledge in the back of her mind, DJ shook her head.

"You know better than to ask _me_ that." She replied.

"Awh c'mon, Deej! It's for the good of the game!" She said, acting as if she wasn't just in the spotlight for a personal answer. The red-skinned troll didn't budge, crossing her arms and shaking her head.

"Nope. Not happening."

"Okay, so your punishment then is…" She put a finger to her chin in thought, then eyed the little girl sitting next to DJ mischievously. "…to tickle Willow."

The entire group gasped. As they had come to learn over the years, the tiny troll became quite combative at the playful action, shrieking and giggling something awful. It was amusing up until she had accidentally whipped Smidge in the face with her hair in an effort to push them away. None of them had attempted it since. DJ smirked, looking down to the already retreating child.

"C'mere, Princess." She beckoned, and Willow shook her head rapidly.

"DJ, do-!" She began, but the troll had already begun to pounce. She screamed, and a chase ensued all around the clearing with Willow furiously giggling and screaming to get away. Finally, she felt the coil of orange hair wrap around her waist and she was pulled flush against her assailant, thrashing and squirming as she tickled her sides. Laughter was emitting from all of them as they watched. In the distance, Biggie was just returning from his first round around the village, huffing and wheezing. He looked over to see Smidge's eyes firmly planted on him, and with a groan he continued. Mr. Dinkles clung to his back, mewing a few times.

The group continued to laugh collectively as DJ finally ceased her assault on the girl's ribcage, Willow giving a half-serious glare before standing up to brush herself off.

"Good job, Deej. You didn't get hit in the face!" Satin called.

"It's a miracle!" Chenille added.

As the group began to idly chatter amongst themselves after wrapping the game up (with Biggie still working on his three laps), Willow eyed a glint of light off in the distance. Looking back to her babysitter, she saw that they were otherwise occupied. She quietly got up and ventured off in its direction, not looking back save for once as her curiosity led her into the dense brush that bordered the thickest parts of the forest.

The glint flickered again straight ahead, at which she shoved aside some leaves to near it even further.

Sticking out of the ground was a rather peculiar looking staff, twisting and curling about like a vine and ending in a large swirl on the very top. Dangling in the middle, the source of the light, was a breath-taking crystal, roughly the size of a kiwi. It was dazzling, and Willow reached up to touch it. Her finger barely tapped against its polished surface before a cacophonous sound filled her ears, making her scream in surprise. She watched a wave of purple light glide across the air in front of her, climbing upwards in a curve until fading into the clouds above. She tilted her head in confusion. Had _she_ just caused that? What _was_ this thing?

"Willow, sweetheart! Stop!"

The girl whirled about to face the former King Peppy, who was rushing at her in a speed she had never seen out of the older troll. In an instant, he had her scooped up into his arm and he carried her several feet away before setting her down and grabbing either of her arms.

"Are you okay? Are you hurt?" He asked, looking her over frantically.

"I'm fine, Grandpa Peppy!" Willow assured him, watching as he continued to search her over for any sign of complication.

"Willow, you shouldn't be out here. It's too dangerous!" He scolded.

"Why? What was that thing back there?" She inquired.

"Nothing you should be messing with, I assure you. Now come on. Your mother is waiting on you." He said, grabbing her hand and pulling her along. Looking back, she struggled to make out the shape of the mysterious staff once more, but another urgent jerk of her grandfather's hand snapped her attention back ahead.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Facing a rather tall mirror, mother and daughter stood in front of its reflective surface as Poppy brushed out Willow's hair to work out any kinks she may have had from her day of play. Oh, how she loved its hue.

Running her fingers through, she looked up to eye her daughter's thoughtful expression.

"Whatcha thinkin' about?" She asked. Willow blinked a couple of times, then met her mother's curious gaze.

"Nothing, just…stuff." She replied. Poppy knew it wasn't a sufficient answer, but chose to not pry any further as she reached for the little girl's tiara. It was a simple design. Ivy leaves coiling about into a circle with baby's breath and the tiniest daisies adorning it in a flattering manner. Perfectly sweet for such a sweet princess.

"Do I _have_ to wear this?" Willow complained, pulling at the sheer silver dress her mother had chosen for her to wear to any royal business. Small rhinestones hemmed the skirt, which edged out in a flower-petal manner.

"Yes. You want to look your best for King Gristle and Queen Bridget, right?" Poppy insisted, straightening out the tiara and placing loving hands on her daughter's shoulders.

"Yeah, I guess." She shrugged. Poppy smiled, giving her a peck on the cheek.

"Don't worry. The _second_ this meeting is over, we'll do something really _special_ okay?" She promised. Willow perked up at the sound of that.

"Really? Like what?" She asked excitedly. Poppy wagged an index finger.

"Ah, ah, ah. It's a _surprise._ " She emphasized.

"Darn!" Willow said, stomping her foot in frustration. A throat cleared behind them, and they both turned to look at Branch, adorned in a pair of black shorts, his usual green vest, and his own thick band of a crown sitting at the top of his tower of indigo hair.

"Earth to Poppy and Willow. We're going to be late." He said. The two trolls made their way over to him and Willow snatched up her father's hand. He smiled down at her before the soft brush of Poppy's hand on his arm made him turn to her. They exchanged a quick kiss before beginning their descent through the pod and out into the coolness of night. It was late March now, and the winter season had mostly passed them by, much to their relief. Buds of flowers were beginning to poke through the hardened ground.

They could hear the chatter and murmur of the crowd as they approached the village gardens, where their meeting was set to take place.

Branch looked down to see Willow's slightly bored expression, and a squeeze of his hand made her look up at the young King. He smiled at her again, wordlessly assuring her that it would be over quickly. She leaned her head on his arm affectionately, the tiny flowers of her tiara tickling his cheek.

Poppy looked at them both and smiled warmly, not knowing how on earth she had gotten so lucky.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Squealing in delight, Willow slid down the natural slide of a log with her arms extended, her parents and friends watching from the sidelines. The Snack Pack and the royal family had staked a spot amongst the marshes of the forest. It was an absolutely perfect night to be doing so, with the moon high and the water teeming with the beautiful orchestra of the nocturnal amphibians that inhabited its murky depths. Biggie had baked a tart for them all to share, at which they happily dove into.

"Hey Mom! Dad! Watch this!" Willow cried to her parental units. Both trolls looked up from their plates to watch in apprehension as their little princess twirled about in the air before landing perfectly on a rather large lily pad. Her smile wavered as she teetered on the edge of it. Instinctually, both trolls tensed in posture and leaned forward in preparation to make a run for it should she fall in. Thankfully, the young girl regained her balance and waved to them. They allowed themselves to release their withheld breaths of air.

"Wow, she gives you a heart attack, doesn't she?" DJ asked.

"More than I would care to think is healthy." Branch replied, his voice skeptical as he continued to keep his eyes on his rambunctious offspring.

"Ah well, can't say that I blame her. I wasn't much for grown-up talk when I was little either!" Chenille defended.

"Oh, but she was so _good_ during the meeting!" Biggie pointed out.

"Can't argue with that." Poppy agreed, thankful to anything and everything that her child was calm like her father when the need arose.

"How's King Peppy? He hasn't come to any of the meetings lately." GD inquired. Though the position had been passed on to Branch, the trolls still referred to the elder troll as King, since he had done more than his fair share in earning it for life.

"Good. Mostly sleeps these days. Can't get him to come eat with us for the life of me." Poppy replied without fail, frowning ever so slightly at the memories of the many times she had tried calling her aging father to join them at the table for a meal. It seemed that the older troll had shut out mostly everything that he used to enjoy, and it concerned Poppy. She hoped that just as with many subjects in her lifetime of knowing him, it would pass without much trouble.

"He _is_ getting up there, Poppy. Don't expect too much of him." DJ pointed out.

"I know. I just…sometimes miss his spark, you know? He used to be so fun when I was little and now….I can't stand to see him so tired all of the time." She said, her voice quivering. Branch took note of this and inched himself closer to her, offering up a comforting hand around hers. She flashed him a smile.

"He'll come around. Just give him time." Satin assured her friend, giving her a pat on the knee. Poppy nodded before jumping in surprise at the voice right in her opposite ear.

"Hey guys! Are you done talking yet?" Willow asked.

Before anyone could respond, the pink troll arose from her spot and extended a hand out to her daughter.

"Come on, Willow. We have something to show you." She stated in a hush. Immediately taking interest, the girl complied and followed her mother across the way. Branch trailed behind them closely.

"Where are _they_ going?" Smidge asked.

"Somewhere special." Biggie replied, and suddenly the Snack Pack realized where they were. Or rather, close to it.

Branch and Poppy led their little girl several hundred yards away from the picnic site, each having a tight grip on either of her hands, with her kicking out her feet playfully. It wasn't long before they reached their destination, looking out from the edge of a drop-off. In the distance, a familiar dome of an island protruded from the depths of the pond, an equally as similar log jutting out as well.

"What _is_ this place?" Willow asked. Branch and Poppy locked eyes, and the two looked down at their little girl with love.

"Your dad and I became a couple here." Poppy explained. Willow scrunched her face in disgust, thinking only of the pungent smell of the stagnant water beneath them and the grotesquely vile moss and compost that floated atop.

" _Here?_ " She asked. Poppy giggled.

"Yes, here." She confirmed.

"Seems a little stinky." Willow stated matter-of-factly, making both of her parents chuckle.

"Well, not _everything_ will come at the perfect time, Willow." Branch informed her. The little girl nodded in acknowledgement before furrowing her brow in thought.

"Mom? Dad?" She said to them.

"Yes, Willow?" Poppy replied softly.

"What does going on a 'date' mean?" She asked. The question caught them off guard.

"Well, it's when you take someone you care about on a trip for an evening. Like to a restaurant, or to a pretty place." Poppy tried to simplify it as much as possible.

"So, like this? Is this a date?" Willow pressed further. Branch and Poppy blushed.

"Uhm, no. A date involves only two trolls." Branch informed her. She frowned.

"But what's the point of it? You guys do that for me all the time!" She asked.

 _Sheesh, I was hoping that we could get a few more years out of her before she started asking all of this!_ Branch thought before Poppy took over again.

"Well, the difference is that….the troll you take on a _date_ is someone you love to be around." Poppy said.

"But I love being around you guys! I still don't see the difference….."

The two trolls groaned internally. This was a challenge, beating around the bush of what a date truly meant for a couple. Poppy eyed the flustered look on Branch's face, and she gave him a smile before stroking Willow's hair affectionately.

"You'll understand when you're older." Poppy stated on a voice light as air, a smile curling her lips as Branch watched her speak with an appreciative expression. They truly did complete one another. Where he failed at words, she knew exactly what to say.

Poppy's gaze lifted to the scene in front of them once more, her eyelids half-closed as she reveled in the past for a moment. How far Branch and she had come from those days before that fateful night in Chef's cooking pot. It was almost surreal to try and put the sequence of events into a timeline in her head, and it was almost enough to just leave it as is. The result had been her standing with a husband who adored her, and a daughter _she_ adored just as deeply. That was enough for her.

Something shifted in the distance, and Poppy's eyes widened as she recognized the movement. Her blood ran cold and her posture stiffened as her eyes fixed on the figure ahead, its glaring eyes all too familiar in her dreams. Her hand fell away from Willow's and both father and daughter looked to her in alarm.

"No…" She whimpered.

"Mom?" Willow asked, furrowing her eyebrows.

"Poppy?" Branch also questioned with equal worry. She looked to both of them with a look of horror, shaking her head vicious before turning about and sprinting away.

"POPPY!" Branch cried after her, the two blue trolls speeding after her and past the Snack Pack, who had also come to stir about in alarm at the Queen's sudden departure.

"What's going on? What's wrong with Poppy?" The collective questions amongst the group flicked back and forth viciously as someone tried to make sense of it all. The more they squabbled amongst themselves, the farther the royal family drifted away.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

When Branch had found her, she was hunched over in the back room heaving for air from all of the running she had been doing. Willow had been put in her room by him and he had searched all over the pod for his wife. Finally, having found her, he was frowning immensely.

"What was _that?_ " He asked sternly. Poppy only glanced up at him once before gluing her eyes to the countertop across the way, trying her best not to completely break down.

"Poppy, look at me." Branch begged, nearing her a little. When she did not, he closed the distance to grab at her arms gently and yanking her to face him. " _Look at me!_ "

He watched her eyes lock on his and water again, her mouth curled into a pained grimace as she fought the tears back. Branch held either side of her face and began to stroke the curve of each with the pad of his thumb.

"What happened back there? What did you see?" He questioned her urgently, and all she could do was whimper at his prodding words. Growling, he released her face and began to pace up and down the length of the hallway leading up to where they stood.

"Poppy. I can't help you if you won't tell me what's wrong." He snapped his back to her, but the tiny sound of her voice made his ears prick back in her direction.

"That's just it." She whispered. Branch turned around again, this time completely silent and waiting for her to continue. Her pink orbs lifted to meet the depths of his blues. "I don't need your help."

That stung. Badly. His heart felt as if it had been pierced by barbed wire that had been carefully soaked in lemon juice. He blinked several times. It was the second time in a matter of days that the ones he loved most had uttered the impossible.

Sensing his misconception at her words, Poppy took a step forward. "Branch, I didn't mean like tha-!"

"No, I get it. You don't need help from a sarcastic loner like me, right?" He snapped, his face turning sour as he balled his fists to combat the pain arising in his being.

"No!" Her shriek of disapproval made him jump in surprise, and she immediately backtracked, casting her eyes to the floor and closing them. She pulled her lips into a tight line before speaking in a hush. "….no. I just….don't want you getting hurt."

She was surprised as she felt his presence near her again. She looked up at him, and it was but a fraction of a second before he was on her with a passion that she had not felt in years, He set to work on her lips like a frantic lover, searching for answers in every stroke of his lips against hers. She hooked an arm around his neck and reached up her other one to run a long stroke through his hair, making him release a soft groan. Her eyes flew open, and she tore herself away. Branch stared at her in complete confusion.

"I…I'm tired. Please. Come to bed with me." She begged. The blue troll just gazed at her for a long moment, then slowly complied to her request and followed her into the bedroom. Wordlessly, they climbed into bed and snuggled down under the comforter. Branch found Poppy's form in the utter darkness, wasting no time in pulling her against himself and allowing her head to lay cradled between his chin and chest.

The Queen of Troll Village could not contain it any longer. She completely doused her senses in him. All of him. His scent, his warmth, his physical _being_ next to her. She clung to him like a child with a beloved blanket. Fearing that if she was not careful, he would be yanked from her grasp.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The storm was in full force as she stirred for the fourth time that week in the odd hours of the morning. Her hair still in its signature ponytail, her dreary gaze gliding upwards until she was met with the peaceful face of her slumbering mate. Leaning over, she pressed a generous kiss to his cheek and lips and leaned her forehead against his.

"I love you." She muttered. A grumble was her response as he shifted to turn onto his side. Poppy felt the sting of tears at the corners of her eyes.

A crack of thunder jumped her back into reality, and it was with a foreboding stare that she held her gaze on the door. Flashes of white lightening illuminated the room in spurts, her complexion paling as her eyes never wavered from it. Snatching up her clothes, she wasted no time in slipping them on and starting down the hallway.

Slowly lifting the sheet away, Poppy eyed her unconscious child fast asleep in her own bed, her hair mussed beyond belief. She would have giggled, but knew that there was no time to do so. Crossing the room on padded steps, she leaned herself over the bed and gave her a peck on the cheek.

"I love you too." She whispered, running a hand along her cheek. Willow's facial muscles twitched at the contact, but the girl did not stir.

 _Good._ Poppy thought, slipping from the room as quickly as she had come.

Coming to the desk in her study, the pink troll produced a small velvet cinch bag, something she quickly tucked into her jacket as she made for the front door.

The shower of pelting rain cascaded to her feet as she stared into its abyss from the doorway of her pod, the dark outline of nearby trees only visible with each strike of electric light. There she stood, steeling her mind and heart for what lied ahead. She had to do it.

Bombarded with the elements, the Queen of the Trolls ventured deep into the towering trees with determination spread across her face. Her feet carried her over mud and grass, gravel and rocks that dug into her tender soles. A particularly smooth-surfaced boulder proved to give her a slip, but she quickly snatched at a nearby branch with her hand and hoisted herself up onto the top.

Further and further she went into the looming vegetation until the shadow of a figure became illuminated in another flash of lightning. She froze, her face snapping to it in an instant and producing the cinch bag. She withdrew a gilded dagger, the shiny metal barely visible in the pitch dark. A grumble just ahead made her spread her feet apart in a defensive stance and her eyes darkened.

"Leave her alone." The bright pink troll's voice was shaky but loud, her eyes glaring straight ahead at the outline of what appeared to be a rather towering creature.

"Do what you want with me, but leave our little girl _alone_." She shrieked through the downpour, the rain beginning to make trails from her hairline and down her face. The rumble of movement made her stumble over herself a bit as she reeled backwards to catch herself. It took a few moments for her to identify the sound as nothing more than a fit of laughter.

"Oh, dear Queen. Dear Queen Poppy." A voice, low and gravelly, boomed back. "That's _exactly_ what we intend to do."

A halted scream was all that was heard after that, and the stone of which she had been standing was now abandoned, once again being pelted by the pouring rain. The dagger, flashing in the bursts of light, lay scattered across the rocky surface. Accompanying it was a hug-time bracelet, well-worn and about to go off any moment.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Branch inhaled sharply, fluttering his eyes open as a particular crack of thunder boomed outside. Lazily he slid across the mattress to find his wife again. It wasn't too rare for them to eventually separate as night wore on, but after what had taken place just hours earlier, he wanted nothing more than to hold her close.

Cold.

It was the only feeling he was met with as he brushed his fingers along the dip in the mattress where she usually laid. He eyes flew open in an instant. Poppy _never_ left the bed at night, even if she had every reason to. Adequate sleep was a big thing for the Queen, and she never allowed either of them to skimp on it when they could help it. So to have it be two in the morning with no sign of her anywhere was concern enough for him to scramble from the bed and begin a frantic search through the pod.

Ending in Willow's room, he shook the girl awake.

"Willow. _Willow._ " He whispered harshly. She stirred immediately, her heavy eyelids slowly parting open.

"Hmmmm?" came her mumble of a question.

"Your mother. Was she in here?" Branch hissed. Willow sat up, furrowing her brows in confusion.

"No….why?"

Branch's heart sank as he handed her the extra torch he had gotten while in the kitchen.

"Come on. We have to find her." He said, and it was during their rush out into the night that Willow began her own bombardment of questions.

"She wasn't in bed with you?" She asked.

"Would I be out here if she was?" Branch snapped back, immediately regretting it as he saw a shock of pain streak across his daughter's face. He sighed, grabbing her hand and squeezing it tightly.

"Come on." He said.

Door to door they went, asking after the Queen to troll after troll, with the same synonymous answer from them. The King and Princess had pretty much woken up the entire village as the loyal trolls searched for their Queen. Peppy, who had emerged from the pod only moments after Branch and Willow had left, seemed to be in a moment of clarity as he helped search as well.

Three hours passed and they had searched every inch of the village and surrounding area.

"Have you searched the marshes? The glen? Every single pricker bush?" Branch questioned a particular troll who had led a small team to the north. He nodded vigorously.

"Yes, Your Highness. Every bit." He assured him. It gave him no solace whatsoever. Clenching his fists in frustration, he turned away to glare into the pitch of night, as if Poppy would be standing right there waiting for him. Like this was all a huge prank and she had gotten everyone in on it.

"King Branch!" came a cry of desperation. The blue troll whirled about to face the southern scout team as they sprinted over to him, the leader having his hands clasped around an object in his grasp.

"What is it, River?" He asked.

"The Southern Boulders…..we found this there." He said, opening up his hands and extending them out to the King.

Branch looked down upon two very recognizable objects. Upon seeing them, a feeling awoke from inside of him that he had been certain would never return. The very notion of it seemed to have faded away forever as he had become who he was in this very moment. Every tear, every heartache….everything had become so much easier with the addition of just one troll into his life. A troll that had never seen anything in him but the good. Who had tried relentlessly from the start to make him happy….and had succeeded for a long time.

Now….now, he felt the bloomed feeling within his chest begin to wither. He didn't know how, but he knew….that this was different. There was no hope, regardless of what any of them could tell him. He fell to his knees, his eyes wide and his mouth twisted in absolute agony. He held the two objects in his hands tenderly, turning them about.

Every troll in Troll Village, gathered around their King in a tight circle, watched in pained silence as the color began to drain from him for the second time in his life. Blue faded away into a grief-stricken black, teal paling into melancholy gray.

"No! Branch…." DJ Suki called out, and the Snack Pack drooped in despair as they observed their friend revert to where he had been for so many years. Gray, dull…lifeless.

Willow came forward, taking cautious steps as she bent down to catch her father's downward stare. Tears had begun to well in his eyes.

"Dad?" She muttered, her voice cracking. Branch dared himself to look at her, and found himself falling further into his own personal nightmare as her eyes looked back at him. Those beautiful magenta eyes. She knelt down to her knees in front of him, and slowly pulled him into a hug. His back remained stiff for a moment, looking around wildly to try and combat the feeling swelling up in his chest.

Finally, it broke. He wrapped his arms around the last remnant of his Queen in a vice-like embrace, his entire body beginning to heave. It was silent at first, then the hearts of everyone present began to tear as he did something he had never done before.

He wailed. Shouted at the top of his lungs through the stinging tears that fell. He cried and wailed and sobbed into his daughter's shoulder, hiding his face in the fabric of her jacket.

The King of Troll Village. Reduced to a sobbing heap.

The trolls could not quite name it, but the night seemed infinitely darker from that point onward as they stood in grieving silence with their King and Princess over the Queen that was lost.

Queen Poppy. The happiest troll to have ever been born. Gone in the wind.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 **Alright then, so feels mode is in full swing in this chapter! Sorry if you're prone to some blubbering (like me). My intentions are peaceful in nature, I assure you. Apologies for any typos or OOC moments as well. I try my best.**

 **I hope to be having some fanart up for this fic and other fics/fandoms here soon on Pinterest for you all to see if you'd like, though I can't say that I am exemplary in my artistic work. I just draw what I enjoy and what comes to mind, so if you do happen to take a peek once I post the link, please keep that in mind.**

 **Other than that, it has been really great writing this chapter and I hope you all enjoy it. (Or not. Refer to the second sentence above. **so sorry**) You always need a permission slip for the feels train when you're with me!**

 **See you in the next installment!**

 **Sincerely,**

 **Heartforhumanity845**


	5. Chapter 5

_Ten years later_

Rustling amongst the dead leaves of the forest pattered rhythmically as a set of footsteps glided across its surface in the night. Flashes of a figure shot between trees and bushes, looking around cautiously before advancing to the next hiding spot. This continued in a leap-frog fashion until the figure eyed the gate ahead. A solitary troll guarded it, red-skinned and sporting a white beard with the hair atop his head scraggily and unkempt.

The elder troll's ears perked up at the sound of a snapping twig, and his grip on the spear in his hand tightened and jutted forward as he fought to peer into the darkness via the weak lantern light. Hopping from behind a nearby bush, he nearly lunged at the figure before freezing entirely.

The troll in front of him stared at him in determination as she advanced towards the gate. Her indigo hair was tied back in a low, loose ponytail and a white anemone flower was tucked in her left ear. Her small sleeveless jacket was a denim blue, with a simple white denim dress and a rather large, patchwork messenger bag slung across her chest and resting comfortably on her hip. The troll fought to identify the troll, and he finally yelled out her name.

"Princess Willow! Your Highness!" Immediately her finger flew up to her lips and she hushed him.

"Shhh sh sh! Is my dad here?" She said in a voice barely above a whisper, looking around as she questioned him.

"N-no! He left about a half hour ago-!" The elder troll stammered, looking around wildly for any sign of his superior. He let out a startled grunt as she quickly shoved her bag into his arms and slung herself over the gate with ease. Before he could protest, she looked back to him from the other side.

"Don't let _anyone_ in this gate, Rugel! Guard it with your life!" Willow instructed as she took the bag from him again through the bars and sprinted away.

"Y-yes, Princess!" Rugel called after her, looking around wildly in confusion as to what had just happened. Thankfully for the princess, the troll's memory was as flippant as the weather. Some nights, he recognized her immediately, others he needed a reminder. It made it all the easier to use the abandoned mills ahead as a secret hideaway.

About five hundred further and she was at her destination. Gripping the strap of her bag, she gave a firm knock of a specific rhythm, making a slot in the door slide open and pair of brown eyes looked back at her.

"What's the password?" It said in a dramatically low voice.

"RogueFreakOne." The princess said with confidence.

"Nope, ERH. Try again!" The voice was higher this time, but still definitely a male's voice.

" _What?_ That was the password last week!" She argued, throwing her hands out in frustration.

"You really think I'll have the same one _every week?_ " The voice said, squeaking at the last two words. One glare from the blue troll and the eyes seemed to also laugh.

"Okay, okay. I'll let you slide this time, stranger." He joked, cracking the door open and allowing her to enter. Willow immediately smelled the high scent of burning chemicals, and eyed the chemistry set that the eccentric troll had set up in his corner of the clubhouse. Gently placing her bag down on one of the chairs on the opposite side of the room, she put on hand on her hip and looked to her friend.

"Sometimes, you really annoy me." The troll looked up from his experiment, his goggles still firmly placed over his eyes. He chuckled, pulling a specific vial from the mess of beakers with a pair of laboratory tongs.

"That's why ya love me." He scurried over to the young princess and shoved his handiwork closer to her. "Here. Taste it." Willow gave him a more-than-skeptical look, as he was still holding it as arm's length from his body with the tongs. And he wanted her to touch it _bare handed?_

"Verne, I thought we talked about offering other people strange liquids." She argued.

"That is correct, Your Highness! That's why I'm giving it to _you!_ You're not _other people._ " Verne's snarky smile was prominent as Willow gave him yet another skeptical glare, mostly for the fact that he had once again called her something other than her name. Out of seemingly thin air, a troll appeared from behind the young princess.

"He put his shirt sweat in that." Her muffled voice came out from underneath the mass of fabric wrapped around her face.

As Willow came to know the siblings better, she found that Jules wore her….interesting choice of clothes year-round. When asked why, the shorter-than-normal troll just gave a mysterious answer of something she couldn't bear anyone else to see. Even Verne had not seen this supposed "horrible deformity" she fought so hard to hide. Much to the two's surprise, the Princess accepted her quirky nature without any trouble at all. Something they admired about their newfound friend.

Reeling backwards, Willow curled her lip in disgust.

"Verne! Gross!"

"Hey, hey, hey! Calm down! It's totally sterile to drink your own sweat! Ask anyone!" The red-haired troll argued, gesturing around the room.

"Trust me, I'm well aware." Willow replied flatly, alluding to her own father's insistence on the disgusting habit. Verne chuckled, noting her completely thrown off demeanor.

"Okay, okay, you win." He said, placing the vial down in its designated holder as Willow took a look around.

"Anybody seen Canella?" She asked the two, when the creak of branches above made them all turn to look.

"He-ere! Just had to drop some stuff off to Dipper for tomorrow night." The swirl of opalescent white hair atop the copper-brown troll's head released its grip on the branch sticking out of one of the many small windows high above their heads. Landing perfectly on her feet, she offered up a smile to the others. Willow looked around again.

"Flick?"

No answer. Not unusual for this particular friend of theirs. Willow crouched down underneath the chemistry set's table, spotting the other smaller-than-normal troll laying on his back beneath Verne's work desk. He was buried underneath a blanket, fast asleep. Willow gave another glare in Verne's direction, and he threw up his hands in defense. Willow tilted her head towards the ceiling.

"Arnold?"

"H-Here!" rumbled the shaky answer from outside. The princess nodded curtly.

"Welp, since _everyone_ is here now…." Canella started, shooting Willow a look. The princess returned it. Despite her best efforts, she still managed to be late to everything. Much to the chagrin of her friends and father. " _I_ have a little treat for everyone to test!"

The group closed in on the troll as she produced her confection from a container she had tucked away in her hair. Canella aspired to be a four-star chef someday, and was always bringing something new for her friends to try. This time, the treat looked to be a brownie of sorts, which if it was, then there was no way it could ever be bad. They all took a small sample and bit in. Verne scrunched up his face in surprise, while Willow fought hard to keep a neutral expression.

"It's…..interesting." Her analysis was hesitant, and she watched the troll's face fall slightly.

"Not good, huh? I _told_ Dipper to not put too much salt in it." She held the plate in both hands close to her body. "A work in progress I suppose."

"Don't worry, Nell! You'll get it eventually!" Verne piped up quickly, as if to assure his friend that not all was lost at her failed creation. The troll gave him a thankful smile.

"Thanks, Verne." She said. Suddenly, a fluff of green hair popped up from behind Verne's work desk.

"Are we done yet?" He asked. They all turned to look at Flick drowsily look over at them. Being a narcoleptic, the poor troll could not catch a break from his constantly slow state. He could sleep anywhere, and it took many a time before the others got used to his unwavering silence at their questions and conversations.

"Good morning, Flick." Willow greeted with a playful smile. His dark green eyes widened considerably, looking around in a panic.

"It's _morning?_ " He cried. Willow shook her head.

"No, no, no. Flick, it's not even ten o'clock at night." She said. He narrowed his eyes for a moment in disdain at the seeming prank that had been pulled on him. The troll was not known for reading sarcasm very well, which made him and the Princess somewhat at odds. Considering her upbringing with Branch, the Princess had developed quite a knack for it. Even so, the two had grown to have a completely mutual respect and Willow was often the one to make sure Flick was in a comfortable spot when he experienced of his spells.

"Sheesh, Will. You almost gave him a heart attack!" Verne joked, earning him a punch in the arm from the teenage princess. He clutched at the impact zone dramatically, giving a yell of pain. Willow couldn't help but have the goofiest grin spread across her face.

"Hey, Arnold! Would you like these brownies?" Canella yelled towards the ceiling. So they _were_ supposed to be the chocolatey heaven.

"Sure!" came the compliant answer. Canella and Jules ventured outside. Arnold was incredibly small for a Bergen, which made him far less intimidating to the Trolls but a laughing stock and punching bag to fellow Bergen children. There were still those within the village that were wary of the towering creatures, so when little Arnold had shown up to the group saying he had heard about their secret club for misfits, the friends could hardly deny him a spot amongst them. Thankfully, Canella could always count on the Bergen to finish off her failed products without complaint. His taste-buds were considerably different compared to his Troll friends, and confections that they found horrendous, he found an absolute delicacy.

"So." Verne said as the two left and Flick slipped back into a heavy sleep. Willow looked at him with an eyebrow arched.

"So….what?" She replied, pretending to not know what he was talking about. The redhead gave her an annoyed but concerned expression, crossing his arms.

"Have you talked to your dad yet?" He asked, urging her to give him the answer he had wanted to hear for so long. Unfortunately for him, it was yet another day where her head shook back and forth.

"He's in too much pain already, Verne….I-I don't want to be the one to cause him more…." Willow explained, thinking about her color-deprived father sitting alone in his study, staring out the window.

Their relationship was bittersweet at best. There were days where it seemed as if he may regain his colors, and there were days when the Princess convinced herself that he would never be happy again so long as her mother remained lost. The search for Queen Poppy had continued for months after her disappearance with absolutely no luck. As time passed on, the trolls accepted their Queen's fate and tried their best to move on. But out of everyone, there was nobody who took it harder than her father. Not only had he lost his vibrant hues again, but he was almost completely back to what he was before. Paranoid, closed-off, abrasive. The only times he ever showed any kindness or consideration anymore was with the one troll who still held out a hope for Poppy to be found.

"Willow." He said. She turned her attention back to her closest friend as he slipped on another pair of chemical-resistant gloves. "You're not going to get _any_ where with him so long as you keep hiding who you are from him."

"You _know_ why I can't tell him, Verne." She argued harshly.

"All of _our_ parents _know_ that we're different. My mom, Canella's….even Flick's! And they _love_ us for it!" Verne shot back. Willow raised her eyebrows at that, wordlessly pointing out the fact that it would be hard to not realize that your child is different when he's passed out somewhere three-fourths of the time.

"What's your point?" Willow's bitter tone only made Verne pause and rest his hands on the surface of his chemistry table. He removed the goggles from his face and set them atop his hairline, his brown eyes staring in concern.

"My _point_ is….why do you think the King will be any different?" He asked. Willow's shoulders tensed and her hands tightened slightly into fists.

"Because I know _him._ " She replied, turning away to stare out the window above their heads. "…..he would never accept it."

"You don't know that. And besides, it's not like it's something _life-altering_." Verne continued, not giving up on his friend. Willow kept her back turned to him as he carried on. "So, your favorite things don't involve singing, dancing, or hugging. And you don't wear your hair like a traditional troll. So what?" He questioned.

"Verne, what are we?" Willow's larger-than-life question caught him off guard, but he somehow knew where it was headed.

"Trolls." His short answer made her nod.

"And what exactly do Trolls _do_?"

"Sing, dance, and hug." He said.

"Yeah. Not chemistry. Not baking. Not sleeping. Not astronomy….not reading." Willow jabbed, putting a hand on her bag and lifting the flap to stroke at the spines of the books she had in tow.

"Just because that's what the majority does doesn't mean we aren't capable of liking other things." Verne argued. Willow's expression hardened.

"Do you even _remember_ why we started this?" She questioned bitterly. Verne could only sit in silence at that, and her pink orbs lifted to meet his brown ones. The two had been through a lot, along with their other friends. Trolls could be very malicious creatures, and more times than not the group was the blunt of their jokes. Even Willow, who had stood by them since the day she protected Verne, was beginning to feel the effects of her choice. She never budged, though, always resolute in her stance of treating every troll with dignity and respect. To say that the group owed her everything was a grave understatement.

"Your dad is not a bully, Will. He needs to know." Verne dodged the turn that Willow was trying to pull him into. He watched her eyes narrow and suddenly, a smile spread across her face. A bad sign for him, indeed.

"Tell you what." She began before jabbing a finger into her chest. " _I'll_ talk to my dad when _you_ tell Canella how you feel." She shifted her finger in his direction and his eyes grew to the size of saucers.

"Hey, hey, hey! Keep it down!" He shushed her, and she watched as a bright red tint flushed on his dark yellow cheeks and ears.

"Ah-ha! Gotcha." She declared in triumph, her smirk only spreading.

"That's not even remotely funny, Will. I can't just tell her how I feel! It's not that simple!" He argued. Willow just sauntered her way over to him and gave his head a generous pat, her smirk still frozen in place.

"Glad to see you see things _my_ way." She replied. He just gave her a glare. The two were the wittiest of the group, and when they were at odds it was quite a showdown. This time, however, Willow had shut him down effortlessly and he had no room to continue to argue with her. Her point was made.

"So, what'd I miss?" Canella asked as the two girls re-entered the room. Willow exchanged another look with Verne, who just rolled his eyes.

"Nothing. Verne was just going over some formulas with me." Willow lied to her friend. Verne took note of this, and a small smile threatened to tug at his lips.

"Yuck. _Glad_ I missed that!"

The group then began their usual routines of gossip, plans for the future, and just reveling in the fact that they could be completely and utterly themselves here. Away from Troll Village. Away from the cynics. Away from the pain of rejection.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

On her return home in the early hours of the morning, the Princess of Troll Village watched a few shutters begin to open as the trolls were beginning to start up for the day.

"Good morning, Princess Willow!" called a troll from across the square, and she waved. The mention of her name had every shop owner who was awake looking in her direction, and she became showered with greetings and happy waves. Willow graciously answered every one, keeping her hand up in a constant wave.

Once out of view, she lowered her hand in exhaustion and let loose a 'phew!' before fixing her bag's strap and continuing on through the hallways of her pod. During the trek, she released her hair from its ponytail. It immediately sprung back up atop her head and allowed her to smooth it up into a neat tower. Her hair was now almost was long as her father's, and had become a shade of blue that even he had to combat for vibrancy.

Gently she padded along, knowing that her father could appear at any moment and ask her where she had gone. Her heart picked up a bit as she neared the doorway to her father's study. Upon looking inside, she was relieved to find his back turned to her as he sat at his desk. She started to move again when his voice made her pause.

"Have a long night?" She froze, biting her lip before entering the room.

"I guess you could say that." She said, wrapping her arms around him from behind and hugging him close. Bad idea.

"Why do you smell like the eastern pine trees?" He questioned. Willow's heartrate quickened and she suddenly regretted not putting her bag away in her closet near the door.

"Uuhhhmmm someone mentioned to me yesterday that they were showing signs of dehydrating, so I went by to see it myself." She thought up quickly. Branch's eyes lifted to the clock above their heads.

"At six o'clock in the morning?" He pressed even further. Willow's jaw clenched. The King turned to look at her, and she took in his dreadfully weary state. He had not slept a wink, she was sure of it.

"Willow, while you have many admirable traits, lying is not one of them." He said, crossing his arms. "Now, where _were_ you?"

Willow just watched her dad for a long moment, her sharp mind scrambling for a response.

"Uh-ummm….." She stammered, but nothing was coming to mind. His eyes narrowed as she continued to falter, and finally he just sighed.

"Fine." He simply said, turning away again to his paperwork. Willow frowned, nearing him again.

"Dad, you need to get some rest." She said.

"I'm fine, Willow." He said. One press to his forehead with the back of her hand proved otherwise. Her eyes widened in alarm.

"You're burning up!" He was like a small furnace. She was surprised she hadn't noticed when she entered. Branch just closed his eyes to collect himself. Deep down, he could feel a twinge of gratitude for his daughter's fussing over him. The warmth of her concern thawed his frozen heart ever so slightly as she hooked her arms underneath him to pull him to his face. He jerked himself out of her grasp, but she persisted.

"What do you need? I can get it, just ask for it." She questioned. He shook his head.

"No, no, no. Willow, we don't have time for this!" He urged. The girl just watched her father turn away, trying to give off the impression that he wanted left alone. However, the Princess had other plans.

"I'll take care of the bridge overseeing today. You need to get in bed." She said, starting for him again and nearly grabbing his arm again, but he whirled on her.

"I can take care of _myself._ " He snapped. Willow stopped, and he watched her expression fall. The expression she wore did not help as it reminded him of a time long ago, when he had insulted Poppy's ability to lead.

 _I can't_ _ **believe**_ _you're going to be Queen one day._

The words stung in his memory, and his abrasive demeanor faltered as her magenta eyes searched him longingly. Longing to hug him. To bring back his colors.

Looking at his daughter only reminded him of the ghost of what he had been with Poppy. Her deep teal skin and indigo blue hair was all he had to remember what his true colors were, his true happiness. It sent a pang of agony through his heart, but at the same time, he would never blame his daughter for anything. She was so gentle, so caring…just as his sweet Poppy, she never gave up on him. And also, just as he did with Poppy, he waited for her to do so one of these days. It would only be fair to the both of them. He wouldn't have to hurt her anymore and she wouldn't have the risk. He wondered many a time how she was able to retain her colors so vibrantly. So fully. It frustrated and intrigued him. But being the stubborn troll that he was, Branch chose not to inquire after it. Even after all of these years.

"I know that." Willow whispered. Branch's daze was broken and he looked up at her once more. Tears were at the corners of her eyes, and he slowly came over to her and wiped them away. He gave her a gentle kiss on the cheek before eyeing her anemone flower tucked in her ear. It was beginning to brown around the edges. Just the subject change that he needed.

"Do you need a new flower?" He asked. Willow blinked a few times before reaching up a hand to tenderly pinch at its velvety petals.

"Maybe." She smiled at him hopefully. "Do you think you could get me another one?" Branch only smiled gently at that.

"Go get ready. We'll work together today on overseeing the bridge project. And afterwards, I _promise_ I'll get some rest." He said. He watched in satisfaction as her expression softened even more and she hugged him again. She was the only troll in the entire village now that he would readily accept any hug from.

"Okay." She agreed, scampering out the door and down the hallway to her own room. Branch watched her go with the ghost of a smile on his face. He walked over to an opposite door, punching in a code and hearing the heavy-duty lock clench open within. With a grunt, he hoisted the door open and stepped into Poppy and his secret underground garden.

Beneath the roots of the tree where their pod hung, Poppy and Branch had started it as a way of escaping the stress of royal life before Willow had been born. Poppy was usually the one to tend to it up until her disappearance, and then Branch took it over in secret. It was here that Poppy and he kept many of their secret favorites of the forest, and it was here that he selected an anemone flower to give to Willow. Due to the flower's delicate nature, Branch had to prolong beauty by wrapping it in a special fabric that retained its key nutrients and allowed it to thrive without the use of water.

He had been giving his daughter a flower every week for years, ever since her first birthday without her mother at her side. Willow was not very high maintenance, but she believed that only the use of a real flower could really make an outfit stand out, so Branch went out of his way to make sure she had a fresh one as much as possible. She had very insistently named the small white flower as her favorite.

Brushing his fingers along the bush where they grew, he selected one and swiftly cut it at the length needed to rest perfectly in the Princess' hair. Willow hadn't the faintest idea where he continued to get the flowers from, but she never complained when he presented her with a new one.

"Dad?" He heard her call even through the thickness of the walls. He quickly re-emerged and sealed the door, locking it back and putting the anemone flower in the top drawer his desk as Willow came into the room. The only change she had made was putting on her tiara, yet she seemed to be so much more radiant as the sun rose over the horizon and flooded the pod with amber light. And Branch took notice.

As father and daughter made their way to the nearby river through Troll Village, he noticed he was not the only one. A few male trolls ogled at them as they walked past, though he could tell by the looks on their faces that it was not himself that they were eyeing. As DJ Suki had predicted so long ago, Branch did indeed have to keep them at bay when it came to Willow.

He shot a glare at a couple of them who were staring at them from a pod's balcony, the sight of his icy daggers sending them cowering back and pretending that they had not been looking. Willow seemed absolutely oblivious to the attention, her eyes following the canopy above them and the birds who flitted about in the branches.

"Ah, such a beautiful morning, isn't it?" She commented. Branch temporarily broke away from his wordless tirade to look to her with a raised brow.

"I suppose." He replied, looking back and finding nobody watching them anymore. He nodded curtly in satisfaction, turning his attention back to the path ahead and watching his daughter push from him in increased speed. He was confused for a moment until he watched her press her back against a nearby stem of a large flower, a mischievous grin spread across her face. He saw a shuffle of movement behind a bush near the stem, and realization went off like a lightbulb in his brain as to what the Princess was up to.

Seconds later, a small army of children appeared and attempted to tackle her, at which she effortlessly shoved herself away and began to run away from them in the slowest jog he had ever seen. They quickly caught up with her, one troll latching onto her leg and making her lose her balance. It was all over after that.

In a flurry of colors and laughter, the Princess was swamped by them.

"Princess Willow!" They cried in excitement. Branch couldn't help but smile at the sight.

"Kids! Give her some space, why dontcha?" An older troll called to his brood as he walked over to them, blueprints in hand. Branch immediately recognized him.

Sonny and Luna had the largest family in all of Troll Village, with twelve trolls in tow and another on the way. He could only imagine how the family carried on. Sonny was the lead engineer behind the bridge project, with his wife being a stone-mason that participated in the hands-on portion of the project. They had proposed the plans to Branch and Willow several months prior, having no trouble earning approval from both of them. This bridge would prove to be a safe walkway for Troll and Bergen alike to come to and from the civilization, which had grown significantly over the last several years.

"It's okay, Sonny. They need to get their energy out somehow!" Willow assured him, standing up after the children had backed away and began straightening herself out. She looked around frantically as she realized her tiara was missing, until one of the many troll children held it in his tiny grasp gently. She took it from him with an equally as light touch.

"Thank you, Cornelius." She thanked the young troll warmly, making him hide his blush bashfully as he scurried away. The rest of the children giggled at him, watching the Princess place the ring of ivy back on her head and straightening it out.

"Alright, Sonny, what have we got today?" Branch asked, nearing him as the two converged and spoke of the day's schedule.

As Willow led the small group of children to a nearby spot under a sycamore tree to distract them as their fathers worked, she heard a familiar voice call to her from behind.

"Hey, Princess!"

Willow turned to smile at the Snack Pack as they ventured over the slope of the hill nearby and walked up to meet her.

"How's it poppin'?" Cooper asked excitedly.

"It's going fine, guys. Thanks for asking." Willow replied.

"And um…" DJ began before tilting her head in Branch's direction. For their own safety, they chose not to engage the King in idle conversation these days. Though they considered themselves to ultimately be his friends, they could take a hint as well. And Branch had made it clear several years ago that he wanted to keep their interactions as seldom as possible. Possibly since they were originally Poppy's friends. Willow didn't even have to look back to know who they were talking about.

"He's in one of his better moods today." She assured them.

"Good, good." Biggie conferred.

"Well, I guess we should probably get to work! The more hands, the better!" DJ declared. They pushed past her and she watched them go with a sad look in her eyes.

Everyone had become so distant….so far away since her mother had become lost. They still were there when she needed them, and vice versa, but it was like the glue that held them so close had vanished that stormy night. Willow pushed the thoughts to the back of her mind as she always did. There was no room for any more sadness in her heart.

"Need some help?" Willow whipped about to face her friends, who beamed back her as her eyes widened in surprise.

"Guys! What are _you_ doing here?" She questioned, completely floored.

"A little birdy told us that you might need some extra hands on this bridge, and Jules and I just finished our morning chores." Verne explained. In the very many times that Willow had encountered Rosemary, she always heard the troll nagging at her friend and his sister to be cleaning _some_ thing, as if she was ashamed at the state of her house due to the Princess' presence.

"Well, _yes,_ but….you guys didn't have to come here."

"Nonsense, Will. We want to help whenever we can." Verne reassured her. As the two began their walk across the rest of the way to the river's edge, she watched them go with admiration. Like the siblings she never had.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Once everything had been said and done, Willow secretly made her way back to the pod, slipping into her room and allowing the sheet to fall behind her. She wasted no time in snatching up her markers and beginning to trace around her interstellar map, of which she had added on piece by piece until it covered the entire opposite wall from her bed. With a grin, she dotted the marker a few times over a specific spot, staining it a dark red.

"Lyra, are you a sight for sore eyes." She mumbled happily, drawing the outline of the constellation she always watched for. The sight of the eagle harboring a musical lyre in its beak was the sign that summer was fading into fall. Willow's birthday was near.

She bounced her way over to her bed, pulling out a journal she kept tucked in between the books in her bag and flipped to her current page. She graphed and logged her findings before she put it back in its spot, pulling out her current novel and settling herself into the pillows of her bed.

Her ears pricked as she heard the shuffle of footsteps down the hall. In haste, she threw her bag underneath her bed, shoving the book under the fluffy center pillow and laying her head against it, pretending to be asleep.

As any family member could do, she knew exactly who it was before the sheet even pulled back. She heard her father sigh, though she dared not open her eyes to distinguish if it was out of relief or disappointment. She heard him come closer to her, and felt his hand gently shake her shoulder.

"Willow." He whispered. She stirred, opening her eyes and trying her best to look like she had been asleep.

"I figured you would want this." He said, producing the white flower from behind his back. She beamed and quickly took it up, untucking the one she had and replacing it.

"Thanks, Dad. It's beautiful, as usual." She said.

 _Just like you._ He thought, but thought against saying it out loud.

The two bid goodnight to one another, though little did the King know that his daughter was far from allowing herself to succumb to sleep. The second he left, Willow snatched up her books yet again and buried herself beneath her covers with a flashlight.

 _Rain cascaded from the skies in a heap, drenching his body from head to toe. His hair had begun to droop from the weight of the precipitation, his eyes locked ahead._

 _There, standing in her usual blue gown and crown of leaves, was his beautifully pink Queen. Gazing back at him in absolute adoration. Her smile brought a thrum to his heart._

 _"Branch." She beckoned him, her arms open wide._

 _"Poppy…" He started for her. Slowly he saw her face fall, and her eyes darken with a malice he had never seen out of her._

 _"Why didn't you save me?" She asked, her voice shaky._

 _"I tried to….I tried to! I searched everywhere for you! Where did you go?" He yelled back._

 _"Why didn't you save meeeeee….." A pair of clawed fingers came forward and snatched her away._

 _"POPPY!" He shrieked at the top of his lungs, lunging for her but only being met with the sharp smack of the ground._

Throwing himself upright, Branch looked around the room wildly for a moment before clutching at his hair in desperation. He had wanted to keep his promise, but found himself up and pacing about the room without so much as a second thought.

He lifted his eyes to the window, where the calm of night was heavy over the village as they slept.

"Oh, Poppy….if only you could see how far we've come." He said on a voice as soft as cotton, clenching his fist for a moment as the nightmare replayed in his mind. He had no idea what had become of his beloved, even after all of these years.

And that, through it all, had been the worst sting of all.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 **Alright, sorry if that was a bit of a boring chapter. I have to get through it so the story makes more sense as we move along, so sorry if this seemed a bit duller than previous chapters. Please bear with me! (Man, I say that a lot, don't I?) Also, sorry for the big jump in time as well. There will points alluding to the events that took place in that ten years in future chapters, so no worries.**

 **Until the next installment! Thank you so much for reading!**

 **Sincerely,**

 **Heartforhumanity845**


	6. Chapter 6

_**Another year older, another year wiser.**_

 __ _Sniff…sniff._

 _Branch heard the small sound of his daughter's distress from halfway across the pod, and with a sorrowful look he peered into her room._

 _Willow sat with her back to him, her hair a complete mess and her dress encircling her in a wrinkled fashion. She had run away from the party that the Snack Pack had organized for her in a complete meltdown of tears. Branch had followed her all the way back home, but had taken special care to not let Willow hear him approach her room._

 _He watched her clutch something to her chest, something he could barely make out. As she heaved for air, he caught a better glimpse of it. A crown._

 _"Mom…." She whimpered, shoving the palm of her hand into her eyes to stop the flow of crystal tears trailing down her cheeks. It was then that Branch decided to advance, padding his way across the floor and resting a hand on his daughter's shoulder. She did not look up, squeezing her eyes shut and hunching over even further in despair. He pulled her against him, running a hand up and down her back to soothe her. Father and daughter stayed silent for a long time._

 _ **You with the sad eyes**_

 _Willow stopped. In a moment, her head was lifted and looking at him, her eyes completely bloodshot and brimming with fresh tears. Branch smiled sadly, brushing them away tenderly._

 _ **Don't be discouraged.**_

 _She recognized the song as the one he had sung to her mother before she was born, when they had been in danger of becoming Bergen food. The way they had told her the story of him gaining his colors back the first time…it never ceased to make her warm inside. There was truly no other pair more in love than her parents._

 _ **Oh I realize, it's hard to take courage**_

 _ **In a world full of people**_

 _ **You can lose sight of it all**_

 _ **The darkness inside you, makes you feel so small**_

 __ _It was then that he extended his hand out to her, and she slowly took it. He raised her to her feet, holding up both of her hands in the ready position of a waltz. With ease, the two glided about her room as he continued to sing._

 _ **Show me a smile, don't be unhappy**_

 _ **Can't remember when I last saw you laughing**_

 _ **This world makes you crazy, and you've taken all you can bear**_

 _ **Just call me up, 'cause I will always be there**_

 __ _Willow smiled through the fading remnants of her tears, and Branch smiled down at her._

 _ **And I see your true colors shining through**_

 _ **I see your true colors**_

 _ **And that's why I love you**_

 __ _It was at this point that Willow realized that she was glowing, her deep blue locks shimmering with an aura that she had never seen. Hopeful, she looked up to him. But to her utter disappointment, he was still gray. Confused, her smile faltered a bit. Branch could see her despair beginning to return. He knew why she did so._

 _Something held him back…..while his daughter made him happy and he loved her with every fiber of his being…it just wasn't the same without Poppy. Perhaps it was wrong of him to believe, but the pain of losing her was a great combatant. Heartache and love battled endlessly within him._

 _In desperation, he tilted her chin upwards and kissed her forehead gently. Though the battle was ongoing, he would sooner be thrown into the mouth of a Bergen than see his daughter suffer his fate. So he showered her with as much love as he could muster in his depressive state, hopeful that his gestures would be enough. Thankfully for him, Willow loved him just as deeply, and accepted any kind of affection she could get out of him. For she knew his pain, and knew it was only a matter of time before he came back to her. Colorful, happy…..the three of them together once more._

 _xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_

 __The day of jubilee had arrived.

The trolls were scurrying about in fevered excitement as they all prepared for the celebration of Princess Willow's birthday. Everything had to be perfect, and they all pitched in their best efforts in making it as special as ever.

"Alright folks, streamers over there and balloons in that corner!" DJ called out to a group of trolls who looked lost. The Snack Pack had taken it upon themselves to organize the event. DJ and Guy Diamond were in charge of overall prep. Biggie and Cooper were baking the cake, and Satin, Chenille, and Smidge busied themselves with creating the most killer playlist they could come up with.

"Do we really _need_ all of this? I mean, this is the Princess we're talking about. She's not very big on extravagance." Harper pointed out, the paint-splattered troll stopping her work on a homemade banner just to the left of DJ and GD. Unlike the Snack Pack, Harper had at least caught a glimpse of Willow's secretly introverted nature when she was still a child. The blue troll would make a point to come by and take any extra sketchbooks that Harper didn't end up using for her art classes. When she finally mustered up the courage to ask the little girl why she needed them, Willow's short reply was 'for her research'. Harper could connect the dots after that. At least, somewhat.

"Nonsense. She's going to love it!" Biggie called out from his nearby setup, stirring furiously at a bowl of gooey batter.

"Yeah, Harper, she'll be thrilled!" Satin added. The artistic troll wasn't so sure.

Not too far away, sitting upon a large boulder overlooking a pasture, was said troll. She hummed a little tune to herself as she sketched away in her notebook full of constellations. She couldn't wait for the evening time, when the clock would strike eleven and she would be able to view the entire night sky without a cloud in sight. It was then that she would truly have a clear picture of the one sky she had failed to capture in ten years.

She closed her eyes and allowed the wind to weave through her locks, inhaling the smell of late summer grass and falling leaves. There she stayed for a long while, the sun receding behind the treeline. The morning and afternoon had been uneventful, but Willow never worried herself about daytime. It was night that she was after, and all that it entailed.

She heard a rustle of grass behind her, a smile creeping across her face as she turned to acknowledge the source of the sound. To her astonishment, she found nobody. A slip of paper had been placed in the dirt with a rock weighing it down, and she lifted the rock away to pick up the note.

 _Comb too clubhauz 2nyte. Birfday zurprize._ She huffed a chuckle through her nose.

"Verne." She mumbled, shaking her head at the boy's ridiculous secret code that he had made up. Though it wasn't much of a code to her, just a bunch of jumbled letters and numbers to throw off perhaps the most simple-minded trolls.

Tucking the note away in her pocket, she started for the pathway ahead when a face popped out of the tall grass ahead and made her give a startled scream.

"Heey Princess. Whatcha up to?" Cooper asked, his goofy grin still plastered across his face.

"Uuuumm nothing much, Cooper. Just…enjoying some time to myself." She stated, trying to be polite about it.

"Mind if I join ya?" He asked. Willow cringed internally at his oblivious nature, but decided to humor him and nodded.

"Sure." She said. The four-legged troll proceeded to promptly sit himself down in the dirt. The two sat in silence for a painfully awkward amount of time, until he spoke again.

"So, any plans for tonight?" He asked.

"Well, Dad and I were going to have our own little celebration back at the pod, so that's really all I'm doing." She informed him. Cooper nodded excessively.

"That's nice." He said. Another silence.

Nearby, hiding in the brush, the Snack Pack collectively face-palmed at the awkward exchange.

"Remind me to _never_ have him volunteer for distraction duty ever again." Smidge noted.

"He's totally blowing it!" Satin cried in a whisper.

"We _have_ to intervene!" Biggie agreed, starting forward before being forcefully grabbed and yanked back by DJ. He gave her a questioning look and she jutted her finger out to their direction. They all refocused on the two trolls in front of them.

"Well, I think I should be getting back…" Willow began, starting to turn her back on him.

" _Cooper!_ " DJ hissed, causing both of them to whirl in their direction. Cooper quickly rose to his feet.

"Uh, uuum, are you _sure_ you want to do that? There's something that might be a little bit more fun _that_ way." He said, pointing his front foot towards the village. The Snack Pack groaned internally. But Willow was a smart girl. Smirking to herself, her eyelids fell to half-open and she crossed her arms.

"Is there now? Well, can I at least go home and freshen up?" She asked.

"Ya, sure." Cooper replied. Willow gave a nod.

"Thank you. See you later, Cooper." She said, disappearing into the brush. Cooper bounded over to his friends and looked to them expectantly, waiting to hear what they had to say. He was met with a lot of blank stares and crossed arms.

"What?" He asked.

"You are _never_ doing that again, bro." Guy Diamond informed him as he shook his head.

"What? I got her to come over, didn't I?" Cooper argued.

"We wanted her to go with you _now,_ Coop! Now we have to wait for her to get done at the royal pod!" DJ scolded. His ears drooped in realization at his slip-up and his toes shifted inwards shamefully.

"Oops."

They collectively rolled their eyes as Chenille and Biggie stifled a laugh at the ditzy nature of their dear friend.

"It's a good thing you're fun to be around, Coop." Biggie assured him.

"Why's that?" Cooper asked. GD and Smidge groaned while Biggie offered a sympathetic smile.

"Just come along, dear friend." He said, guiding him along as the pack ventured back to the party setup in town.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Upon entering the royal pod, Willow heard nothing but the slow crackle of the fire in the fireplace of the kitchen. Even for it being early October, the air was considerably frigid. She made a beeline to the study, finding it vacant. Venturing further down the hall to her father's room, she spotted him completely passed out in bed, his broad chest rising and falling in a peaceful rhythm. She smiled softly at this, not daring to disturb his rest as she slipped away from the doorframe.

Stretching and rolling her neck, she delved into her closet for an outfit to wear for the evening. She chose a thick sweater to wear over her usual dress, purple in color. Deciding that it was enough, she started to run nurturing oil through her hair, smoothing it out as much as possible. Only the very tips of her hair were now unruly, and she did not mind.

Willow stopped at the door to her father's room again, still finding him asleep. Quietly she made for the door, and had just opened it when she was met face-to-face with Satin and Chenille.

"Oh! Hi guys! She exclaimed.

"Hiya, Princess? Whatcha up to?" Chenille asked excitedly.

"Heading into town?" Satin said, eyeing the sweater she had made for her a couple of years back with a swell of pride.

"Uum yeah, actually. Cooper told me earlier that there was something I should see." She informed them.

"Well, before you do _that_ , you _have_ to come with us to our boutique!" Chenille gushed.

"Really? Why?" Willow questioned skeptically.

"We wanted to give you your gift, silly!" Satin said, waving a hand at her in a goofy manner. Willow only smiled at the twins, walking between them as they made their quick trek into the village square.

Upon entering the place, it was eerily quiet and Willow immediately became suspicious. The twins exchanged a look, then spoke again.

"If you'll just follow us, the boutique is right around the corner."

"But your boutique is that wa-!" Willow began to argue, but was met with the roar of cheers as she rounded the corner with the fashionista twins. She jumped back in surprise, her eyes flying wide open at the sight in front of her.

Streamers hung from building to building, a large banner wielding its congratulations in brigh, bold lettering. Virtually every troll of Troll Village was present, and music began to erupt to kick off the party.

The Snack Pack rushed to Willow, enveloping her in a group hug and spouting their congratulations.

"Wow guys, this is…." She looked around in astonishment. "….big."

"Only the best for you, Princess!" Guy Diamond gushed. The blue and teal troll smiled gracefully at them, not wanting to give any hint that their efforts were not needed. She would have been perfectly happy just having them for dinner as her celebration, but she knew her mother's friends better than that.

"Princess Willow!"

She turned about to spy Sonny, Luna, and their brood heading towards her through the swarm of trolls, and she brightened yet again.

"Happy Birthday, Your Highness! May you have many more years to look forward to!" Sonny yelled over the music, slipping her a card that she tucked away in her hair.

"Thank you, Sonny. How is the bridge coming along?" She asked.

"Splendid! With you and your father's help, it should be open for use by the end of the month!" He informed her happily. She nodded as they turned and began to enjoy the festivities as well.

At the mention of her father, Willow turned around and spotted the very faint outline of the royal pod in the distance. She had yet to receive any sort of congratulations from Branch that day, but she held out a hope that he would eventually show up and give his loving words of best wishes and proceed to break out in song for her. It was the only time she ever heard him sing anymore, and she looked forward to it every year.

"Here you go!" Willow looked back to spy Satin and Chenille holding out a garment bag to her. She arched an eyebrow in question.

"What, did you think we were lying about the gift? As if!" Chenille said, picking up on the girl's confusion. Willow took hold of the zipper and pulled down. What emerged was nothing other than stunning.

Though the twins were known for their glitz and glam, they also recognized Willow's simple demands and put forth their best efforts in producing outfits that she would be proud of. What lay inside was a tea dress where the full skirt was of thick, flannel-like material, and the top was made of a sheer but durable white cotton, making a v neckline and curving at the shoulders ever so slightly.

"It's so beautiful, you two." Willow whispered in wonder.

"Ooohhh I _knew_ you'd love the flannel! Didn't I tell you she'd love the flannel, Chenille?" Satin babbled excitedly. Chenille only rolled her eyes and smiled.

"Yes, Satin. At least a dozen times." She said. The twins quickly assured Willow that the dress would be ready for pickup anytime at their shop, at which Willow smiled and thanked them at least twice.

Wandering through the crowd, she received many bouts of congrats from trolls young and old, all looking at her in such a way that made her feel so happy to be their princess. They had no reason in the world to be here, yet they were. Celebrating along with her in the occasion of her birth.

She was so distracted that she failed to notice who was in front of her, and with a hard smack she stumbled backwards in surprise and clutched at the impact spot on her forehead. She glared up at the troll she had run into, and instantly her heartrate quickened.

"Enjoying the festivities, are we?" A troll of dark red skin and piercing yellow eyes questioned, his peak of electric blue hair styled and spiked in such a way that screamed jerk alert. Willow's glare hardened and she straightened herself out.

"What's it to _you_ , Thorn?" She asked him in a haughty tone.

"Oh, come now, Your Highness. I just wanted to give my congratulations." He mockingly gave a bow to her, his snake-like grin never leaving his lips.

"Well thanks, but no thanks." She said, starting to push past him until a crushing feeling squeezed around her wrist and made her give a sharp cry in pain. Her eyes were like daggers as she put forth the nastiest look as he held her back.

"Hey. I'm _talking_ to you." He hissed low in his throat. She jerked at her arm caught in his vice of a grip.

"And _I'm_ not listening. Let me go." She snapped back.

"Why do you spend so much time with those losers anyways, huh? What ever happened to….." He reached up to brush a finger along her cheek. "….usssss?" He drew out the 's' in a hiss as well. Willow curled her lip in absolute disgust, wrenching her head back at his touch.

"There was never an _us,_ and there will never BE an _us_ , even if you were the last troll on earth!" She exclaimed in desperate anger. Thorn's eyes narrowed maliciously at the comment, and he leaned in ever so slightly.

"Be careful what you wish for, Highness. You just might get it." He warned on a voice so threatening it made the temperature considerably colder for a split second. Before she could retort once more, another voice cut in.

"Hey! What are you doing, Thorn? Leave Princess Willow alone!" Harper hollered loud enough for everyone to turn and look. The pressure of his grip instantly lifted and Willow exhaled a breath, not knowing that she had been holding it up until that moment. Biggie and Guy Diamond accompanied the artistic troll as they stood a few feet away.

Thorn just gave another sharp smile.

"My apologies, Miss Harper. The Princess and I were just catching up." He said, stealing a glance at her. Willow only clenched her hands into fists as the troll receded into the crowd, pushing past her and running into her arm in the process.

"What did he do, Princess? Did he hurt you?" Harper asked worriedly, placing a hand on her shoulder. Willow flashed a tight smile.

"Nothing happened. Let's just get on with the celebration, shall we?" She suggested.

"Aw YES!" Guy Diamond said, lifting into the air suddenly and joining other glitter trolls above in a fantastic acrobatic display. Glitter rained down everywhere, making people scream in delight and surprise. Willow just shook her head at their antics before DJ appeared and took hold of her hand gently.

"Come on, Princess! They're going to start the games soon!" She urged her, and with content, Willow pushed what had just happened to the back of her mind and followed her.

They scoured for a game that was just ending or getting ready to start, the small field holding everything from chess to red rover. They ultimately ended up watching Cooper play bob-for-apples and get one of them lodged in his throat. Biggie ran forward and performed the Heimlich, making him sputter the apple into the punch bowl nearby. A group of trolls hanging around it cried out in disgust, jumping away as Smidge and the twins erupted in laughter. Willow and DJ also snickered at the antics, and Biggie continued to pat his friend's back as he coughed for air.

"Seems he _bit off more than he could chew!_ " Sonny joked, making his wife, children, and the Snack Pack groan at his horrible dad joke. As it died down, Willow smirked.

"Looks like your joke wasn't very a- _peeling_ , Sonny." She chimed in, earning a playful smack from DJ and an even louder groan from the surrounding group. Sonny gave her a much-deserved high-five.

"Good one!" He complimented as his children shook their head in embarrassment.

"Don't worry kids. You'll get to be as cool as _us_ when you're older!" She informed them, at which they shrieked and groaned in disapproval and made everyone laugh this time. The Snack Pack and Willow began to venture away from the majority of the trolls, standing by yet another refreshment stand.

"What's all the commotion about?" GD questioned as he re-appeared to join his friends.

"Oh, nothing. Just Willow practicing her mom skills." DJ replied, at which Willow whirled around in surprise.

"DJ!" She exclaimed, hiding her obvious deep navy-blue tint to her cheeks and ears.

"Relax, Princess. It's not like you even have a boyfriend yet! Or _do_ you?" Satin asked. They leaned in slightly for her answer. She couldn't believe they were bringing this up.

"You guys _know_ me better than that." She replied.

"You're right. Guy Diamond and DJ will get together before _that_ happens." Chenille conferred. It was their turn to blush furiously.

"Chenille! Please!" DJ chided in shock, making them all laugh.

"Not to mention that Branch would break his arms before he even had a chance to hold her hand!" Smidge added. They laughed again, but the princess' face fell at the mention of her gray-stricken father.

"Speaking of which, have you guys seen him at all?" Willow said, looking about in worry.

"No, we assumed that you guys already had your time together and he was just being anti-social as usual." DJ replied, and they all nodded. Looking beyond the party, she eyed the outline of the royal pod again. No lights were on. Was it possible that he was still asleep?

"Hey guys!" River called, and the group turned their heads to spot the silver-haired troll make his way towards them.

"What is it?" asked DJ.

"Come quick! Ridley and Gus are going to set off fireworks!" He cried. The gang teemed with excitement as they followed him back through the crowd.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The party went on for a while, and Willow was finally able to pry herself away from everyone and take a breather behind a large bush. She placed a hand to her chest and released a sigh, closing her eyes. It had been quite a tiresome couple of hours, and she deemed this as the perfect time to slip away and conduct her own surprise on the misfit club.

She found her way to the clubhouse quite easily from there, unlocking the door with the key under the mat. Creaking the door open, she peered inside to find that there was not a soul inside.

 _Perfect._ She thought to herself, gently taking her tiara off and smoothing her hair down into its low ponytail. Amidst the adjustment to her hair, the anemone flower had gotten loose and fluttered to the floor. Willow knelt down to pick it back up, but something else caught her eye whilst doing so.

Oak leaves. Even though the building was deteriorating and the roof collapsing, the only branches that were even within the vicinity of the place were birch trees. The closest oak tree was over four hundred yards away and was to the south, where a large orchard of them grew. Willow knew this as a fact because her mother had taken her out to them when she was younger to collect their acorns at the start of fall.

Hey eyes following the trail of them along the hardwood floor, her feet padded along the cool surface in complete concentration. They abruptly stopped at an ottoman over in the corner, and it was here that Willow's magenta gaze lifted to spy a piece of parchment paper rolled up in its padded seat. Her eyebrow arched in interest, and she moved forward slowly, keeping her ears on the radar for any changes in sound.

She lifted the paper into her hands carefully, unraveling it and producing a rather loud crinkling noise as she did so. What was scribbled across it made her heart pound against her chest.

 _ **Princess,**_

 _ **If you choose to rescue her, make haste. Time is running out.**_

 _ **For both of you.**_

 __Her mind was a scramble of questions. Who could possibly leave such an ominous note? And how did they know to leave it here? What kind of time were they speaking of? It had been over ten years since her mother's disappearance…..

Wait, her _mother?_ Is that who the note was referring to for rescuing? How was that even possible?

The Princess had always held out a hope that her mother would be found. Even after every other Troll had given up, the flame inside never died. She had searched for a sign, a scrap of proof that Queen Poppy was alive and okay. There had been absolutely no trace of her or her kidnappers.

All of the pent-up emotions came flooding back like a broken dam, and Willow found herself on the verge of breaking down in tears. Who could be so cruel as to leave such a thing after so many years? What was the purpose? And why so mysterious? If the sender was indeed concerned for both of their well-beings, why not give her a direction to go? This gave her nothing, absolutely nothing to start off with. It was like they were toying with her, and Willow did not care for the idea _at all._ Much like her father in that aspect, she—

Her _father._ What would _he_ make of this? Would it make him happy? Or would he be skeptical just as she was?

Willow shook her head.

"What a sick joke." She mumbled angrily, crumpling up the paper and shoving it into the pocket of her dress. As much as she wanted to burn the scrappy note, she chose against it.

 _Be careful what you wish for, Highness. You just might get it._ Thorn's sickeningly dark words echoed in the confines of her brain, and she immediately began to piece things together. Was he involved in her mother's disappearance? Did he know _anything_ at all? Or was he just toying with her and being the malicious jerk he had always been? It was hard to tell. But the note seemed a bit more believable as she thought on the encounter even longer. Two strange events in one day? High cause for more consideration over the next few hours.

It was then that she heard a shuffle of footsteps outside the clubhouse door, and before she could react, her friends came barging in.

"Well _I_ think that Willow is going to fli-!" Verne froze immediately as they all laid eyes on the troll princess, their mouth agape in shock. Willow offered them a sheepish grin.

"Uuuummmmm…..surprise?" Verne said, holding out the ribbon-tied box and the homemade carrot cake that Canella had whipped up.

"Nice going, Verne. I _told_ you we should have left fifteen minutes earlier." Canella chided.

"No, no, no! It's okay! Thank you, guys!" Willow immediately began to assure her friends, waving her hands about as if to stop the quarrel that was ensuing. Verne and Canella watched her carefully as she shifted nervously in her spot. Something was up.

"Um, Will?" Verne questioned as the young princess came forward to take the gift out of his hand.

"Yeah?" She asked in an almost forced manner.

"…..Is everything okay?" Canella's tone was almost motherly in nature.

"Do you want me to open the gift or not?" Willow asked, trying to make her voice sound even. The two trolls exchanged a look, then gave a wordless nod for the go-ahead. Willow nodded as well, lifting the lid off the box and peering inside. Within it was a stainless-steel compass and a premium chalk marker. Something she had never owned.

"Wow…you guys…." She whispered in wonder, picking it up to examine it closer. "How did you _get_ this?"

"Weeeellllll you see….I know a guy." Verne stated proudly, puffing out his chest. Canella smirked.

"And by 'a guy', he means himself." Canella added in slyly.

"Hey!" Verne cried, a small tint of color coming to his face. Willow smiled, throwing her arms around him and catching him off guard, throwing his balance.

"Thanks, Verne. It's beautiful." She said quietly, and Verne returned her hug tightly. Canella blinked back the flare-up of something deep within her chest at the sight. Jules had been quiet through the entire encounter, but she did take note of the obvious jealousy flashing across her older friend's eyes. She also watched as Canella took a sharp 180 and started for the door. Verne and Willow took notice, looking to her.

"Nell? You okay?" Verne asked. Canella forced a grin.

"Yup, peachy." She replied. Though both of them didn't buy her response, she quickly changed the subject by setting the cake down on the chemistry table.

"So, anyone want a slice of this? Provided that Verne's strange concoctions don't taint the icing?" She joked.

"Do you even have to ask?" Willow returned warmly. Canella smiled, pulling out a small knife from the tower of her hair.

"Whoa, whoa, do you _always_ carry that around?" Verne asked in surprise, having never seen her do such a thing. The brown troll took full advantage of this opportunity and smirked, waving the small blade in his direction.

"Only when I feel like it." She replied, a devilish look in her eyes. Willow snorted while Verne looked absolutely mortified.

"Now come on, ya crazies. It's not going to eat itself!" Canella urged them, and all three trolls huddled around her.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Having their fill of cake, the brood began their trek back to the village in a fit of laughter, reveling in memories of past birthdays for all of them. The pranks they had pulled, the surprises they organized. As usual, they thoroughly enjoyed each other's company.

Rounding a particular tree on the path, Verne and Canella's laughter died down considerably as they realized that Willow had frozen in the center of the path, eyes locked dead ahead. Their faces contorted with concern.

"Will? Is everything alright?" Verne asked. They followed her gaze, and a chill ran over them as they spotted three figures standing in front them a few yards away. Centered was Thorn, who's razor-sharp stare bore into their souls. Flanking him were two of his many 'followers', their names not known to them. With one effortless movement, Thorn released a coil of rope onto the ground beside him, his stare never wavering.

"Evening, freaks." He said menacingly, and their blood ran cold.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 **Ooooohhhh cliffhanger! Definitely one of my worst habits, as you all will surely come to find out! Muahaha!**

 **Anyways, hope you enjoyed this installment and until next time!**

 **Sincerely,**

 **Heartforhumanity845**


	7. Chapter 7

**Warning: Slightly graphic violence ahead. Proceed with caution.**

"Jules! _**Run**_!" Willow cried out. The little troll scrambled into the nearby bushes, Canella helping her along as the three trolls advanced on the Princess and Verne. Verne took a daring step forward to lunge at them, but was soon biting the dirt with the most tremendous sting across his cheek. He felt a trickle of blood seep out onto the dusty ground, and he fought to regain his focus.

Willow charged at them next, flawlessly dodging their gropes for her arm, beginning to sprint away. In an instant, she was pulled flush against Thorn, who proceeded to take the rope and attempt to wrap it around her conjoined wrists. The other two busied themselves in keeping Verne down in the dirt, mercilessly kicking at him at every attempt he made to get up.

"Hey, hey, hey, where do you think _you're_ going?" He asked on a frighteningly calm voice.

"Not with you, I promise." Willow retorted through gritted teeth, swinging her leg forward and bringing it back into his groin area. He shifted enough to where the blow hit him square in the thigh, and he chuckled.

"Wow, look at this! Convenient!" He mused, and suddenly the worst pain shot from Willow's scalp as he grabbed a fistful of her ponytail, yanking her head back. The other trolls collectively gasped as he crossed a line that no Troll they had ever seen do. Nothing was more degrading than holding a Troll by the hair, and as Thorn and Willow continued to struggle on their feet, Willow could feel her head start to burn and become fuzzy from the constant tearing of his fist in her locks.

"Awh, don't be this way, Princess. You know this is only happening because of you." He said. Willow continued to grit her teeth in absolute agony, trying hard to remain focused despite the physical assault.

"Leave…them….alone….you…..jerk." She hissed in labored breaths, surprised at her own boldness. The word felt foreign on her tongue, but she knew that it fit Thorn to a T. The troll laughed again.

"Now, is _that_ any way to talk to your future husband?" He hissed into her ear on a low tone. Willow's temper flared even more at the sound of that, and she elbowed him in the gut. It caught him off guard, and he faltered for a second and gave a stifled grunt of pain.

"Eat dirt, Thorn." She growled before he tightened his pull on her hair, and she screamed out in pain.

"Hey, barf boy!"

Thorn turned to spot Canella standing there, knife in hand with a wild look in her eye. At the sight of the sharp object, he immediately began to loosen his grip.

"Hey, hey, hey put that away! No harm, no fowl!" He said, and Willow used this opportunity to wrench herself completely free, proceeding to use her hair to wrap around his neck tightly and began to squeeze. The other two trolls abandoned poor Verne on the ground and rushed to their leader's aid, viciously grabbing at Willow's arms in an effort to pull her away. They were successful for the most part, and one swift knock to the back of her neck made her loosen her grip entirely. She whimpered, falling forward on her knees.

Just before Thorn had a chance to kick at her, a searing pain cut across his back, and with a cry of suprise he turned around only to be slashed in the face by Canella. The brown troll's face was murderous as Thorn fell backwards, screaming and clutching at his face. The two other assailants stood in shock, Canella turning her glare in their direction.

Immediately the two took off running, leaving a blubbering Thorn in the dirt as he continued to clutch at his face. Willow stood up, heaving for air with her hair a knotted mess from the conflict. She looked to Canella, who swiftly tucked the knife back up into her hair.

"Guess the burglary training for the bake shop paid off." She commented, sounding pretty light-hearted for what had just happened. Willow could only continue to stare at her in exhaustion, her chest gasping for air. They heard movement behind them, and their heartrates picked up once more as they eyed Thorn attempting to get back to his feet. They prepared to fight him once more, but they watched as a thick tree branch came up behind his head like a bat, smacking him unconscious. He crumpled to the ground, and a severely injured Verne stood there, branch in hand, a black eye starting to develop over his left socket. He looked up to them, his expression hard but softening as he realized they were alright.

"Come on! Before he wakes up!" Willow urged them, running over to retrieve a traumatized Jules from behind the bushes as the group rushed off into the night.

Making it back to the village, Canella and Jules began to observe Willow and Verne's injuries more closely. The village square was seemingly empty, with the street lanterns the only light for them to go off. Streamers and debris still littered the pathways from where Willow's extravagant party had taken place.

"Verne, you definitely need a doctor." Canella fussed, taking in the gash on his cheek and his black eye. Verne frowned, shaking his head.

"I'm fine." He assured her. Before she could argue with him, Jules was doing her own assessment on Willow.

"How's your head? I can't believe he grabbed your hair like that!" Jules cried in horror. The princess shook her head.

"It'll be fine. The burning is starting to go away now. Let's just….go home." She said, starting to turn away.

"But Will! Shouldn't we report this to somebody?" Verne suggested.

"Yeah, your dad needs to know about this!" Canella agreed.

"No, guys. He doesn't." Willow insisted.

" _What_?" Verne asked, starting towards her. "We just got brutally attacked by other trolls, and you want to _keep it a_ _ **secret**_?" He exclaimed. Willow looked up to him, tightening her lips into a threatening line.

"Don't start, Verne." She warned.

"Don't start _what?_ Making sense? Willow, what if he goes after other trolls now because of this?" He questioned.

"He won't." Willow declared, looking off into the distance for a moment.

"Oh? And how are you so sure?" Canella snapped, placing both hands on her hips. Willow's fist tightened around her pocket that held the note.

"Because it's me he's after." She said quietly.

"What? Willow, are you _hearing_ yourself right now? Why on earth would he be after you?" Verne chided.

"Don't ask me how I know…..I just do." Willow urged them to understand. Unfortunately, they did not.

"Will….we can't just act like this didn't happen." Verne said, shaking his head. Willow looked between the three of them, her eyes weary and her head still throbbing in pain. Her gaze lowered to the ground, and she turned away once more.

"I'm going home." She stated, walking towards the royal pod without looking back. Canella's face contorted in frustration, and before Jules or Verne could stop her, she cupped her hands around her mouth to scream after her.

"FINE! SEE IF **WE** CARE!" She said, storming off with a growl of frustration. Verne looked down to Jules, the two sharing a distressed look before he put a supporting hand between her shoulder blades and led her along back to their own pod.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Her reflection was rather horrendous, her eyes heavy with exhaustion as she tried her best to clean herself up. Her scalp was tender beyond belief as she ran a hand along her bangs and the crown of her head to smooth out the straying hairs. She was so engrossed in her own appearance that she failed to notice the other face looking back at her until it was too late.

"Where have you been?"

 _Not now._ Of all the times her father decided to be overprotective, he chose this time.

"Out with everybody." She tried to keep her answer short and sweet, but just her luck, Branch was not having it tonight.

"It's half past one in the morning. Where have you _been_?" He asked, straightening out his posture and proceeding to cross his arms in an authoritative manner.

"I already told you." Willow said gently, trying to keep her cool. Branch narrowed his eyes for a moment, advancing towards her and taking in her outer appearance.

"What happened? Why are you…? Your hair…" He said, gently touching her ponytail. Her heart sank. She forgot to undo it before coming home. "….why is it tied like this?" A temper flared up in her that could be compared with the one she sported during the fight, and she grinded her teeth together for a moment before steeling herself to answer. This was it. No turning back now. So much had happened today, what did she have to lose?

"Because I like it that way."

Silence. She could feel him process her words, until he spoke again.

"You like to tie your hair down?" He asked plainly. She was gone after that.

"YES." She shrieked, whirling on him. Branch was taken aback by her sudden outburst, but his shock quickly turned to anger.

"What happened tonight, Willow? Why are you such a mess?" He said, his voice slightly raised.

"What does it matter to _you?_ All you do is sit in here and sulk all day!" She started, gesturing to his room down the hall. His demeanor darkened, and he fought back his own urges to spew the vicious words sitting on his tongue.

"That's not your concern." He stated coldly. "And it doesn't answer my question."

"Of course it's not my concern! It's never _anyone's_ concern! You shut the whole world out! You sit in there and brood over things that have passed, over things you can't change. You're so wrapped up in the fact that Mom is gone that you barely notice what's going on RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU." She yelled. "I've been wearing my hair like this for _years_ , Dad. YEARS."

She stared at him for a second, breathing heavily and tears brimming her eyes. To her frustration, Branch had not moved a muscle. His stare was exactly how she had pictured it. Distant, and confused. She clenched her jaw for a moment, then continued.

"My favorite things aren't singing, dancing, or hugging." She declared. She watched his expression wince slightly at that. She wanted more. She wanted him to _care_ more. So she drove further.

"I like astronomy, history, reading about far off lands." She listed. "I like math and science and everything to do with maps. I want to read about every possible thing that I can and I want to learn all that there is to learn." She came back to his eyes, watching as his expression fell slightly. Her heart wrenched in agonizing frustration, and in a flash she was closer to him, her eyes boring into his.

"But none of that matters to you, right? You only care about Mom." That ignited his fury, and he grimaced.

"Don't you _dare_ tell me what care and don't care about." His voice was low and frighteningly threatening. But somehow, Willow didn't care.

"It's true, isn't it? All you ever worry about is her! All you ever think about is her! You never hang around anyone anymore! You just sulk and whine and cry about Mom as if she's the only troll who meant anything to you!"

"SHE WAS!" Branch's scream startled her, but she didn't back down.

"I got a note today, Dad. A note that implies that she's alive somewhere. I don't know how, I don't know where….but she's alive." Willow confided in him, reaching in her pocket and shoving the crumpled note in his direction. He took it up and read it, his face twisting into an ugly sneer.

"Is this some kind of joke? Who did you get this from?" He asked, waving it around roughly.

"I don't know." She said. This angered him.

"WHO DID YOU GET THIS FROM?" He hollered, standing dangerously close to her. Willow's stare was unwavering as she muttered her next words.

"You didn't sing for me…." She said, an entirely new wave of hurt washing over her face as Branch blinked a few times. Her lower lip began to quiver and she continued. "You didn't even show up at the party. I know they're not your thing but….." She squeezed her eyes shut and released a shaky sigh. Her chest joined her scalp as her entire body began to burn in emotion. Branch could only watch her struggle, his mind a complete mess. He had never seen Willow act this bold since she was a child….he had never seen her so completely and utterly lost in anger…

His wife was alive? Who on earth could have given his daughter such a thing?

 _It's all a cruel joke._ His cynical mind repeated over and over in his head. He moved away from her, looking down at it in frustrated confusion. He felt her shift closer to him, and his attention was momentarily torn away to see what she was about to do. She stopped a few feet in front of him, her fingers beginning to make indents in the palms of her hands at how tightly she was clenching them. Her next statement was loud, shaky, full of unsatisfied closure. She had wanted to say this for so long, and before she could stop it, it all came pouring out.

"Nothing is EVER enough for you anymore, is it? Not the village, not the Snack Pack, not Grandpa….." She trailed off, her bright pink eyes glistening with her crystal tears as she whispered the end of her sentence. "…not me."

All remnants of warmth evaporated from the air and a weight inevitably dropped in Branch's chest as he stared at her in a completely new light. _This_ is what she believed? After all the efforts he had made….it seems that in the end, she was still caught in the same snare as him.

"…..am I not enough?" She whimpered, her voice shaky and her demeanor completely unhinged. Branch stood frozen, tears sitting at the corners of his own eyes as he watched his daughter completely fall apart. It was as if she was crumbling before his very eyes, and the darkness inside his own heart seemed to grow with each moment that he watched her. This is not what he had wanted. This is not what he had wanted _at all._

"Willow…" He choked over her name, a lump inevitably lodged in his throat as he reached out for her. She jerked herself away.

"NO. I'm _done_ trying to get through to you! I'm done trying to be enough for you! If it's alone you want, then alone you'll get! I won't bother you anymore."

With that, she gathered her bag and her jacket and ran past him, up and out the door into the dead of night. Branch watched her go, eyeing Peppy who stood in the doorway and exchanged the same worried expression. Branch only turned back to the window, still clutching the note in his hand as he silently began to cry.

She didn't care where she ended up, she just wanted to get as far away from Troll Village as she possibly could. The wind was strong that night, stringing her hair about wildly. She threw herself into it, trudging forward through the dark forms of blue and black, the tree-line being her only reference as to where was at.

Debris continually smacked her in the face and became lodged in her hair. Particularly rough terrain ahead startled her into climbing upwards on all fours, her face twisted in determination at reaching the top. The piercing gusts chilled her to the bone, and her skin was beginning to become as numb as her heart. It was as if she was a an emotionless shell, drifting on across the wilderness without a care in the world.

She was met by a small patch of moss at the very top of the incline, the vegetation soft and mushy with mud upon her steps into it. She ignored the sensation, taking a quick look around and surveying her next movements. She sat down and scooted herself along the ground, closing her eyes almost completely as her bangs whipped about in her eyes.

How could she even believe for a _second_ that she was special? Her life had been falling apart for years, but it was with the icy blasts of winds surrounding her that she realized it was all over. Nothing could possibly make this better. The flame of hope within her began to dwindle, and she found herself regretting ever giving hope a chance. Her mother was gone. She had to accept that. There was absolutely nothing she could do, and her father was now lost to her as well. She had no one, and she was convinced that nobody would miss her. After all, what kind of Princess would she be to continue to act like she could lead them?

They deserved better, _needed_ better. She was not fit to be Queen. She had known it since she was able to comprehend what it meant.

Nearing a brook, she took a daring leap across the way to a boulder that was resting perfectly at the halfway point. Upon doing so, she lost her footing, and instantly she was shocked with ice-cold water soaking her to the bone. She gave a small scream of surprise, looking up wildly for a moment while brushing her now sopping bangs out of her face.

There, atop a small ledge overlooking the brook, was a small group of wood anemone flowers. The moonlight bathed them in silver light, their petals quivering about in the frigid autumn wind. Willow stared at it for a long moment, her eyes dilated beyond belief.

 _I HATE YOU._

Her own vicious words from her eight-year-old self echoed through her mind. She remembered his face, the absolute pain she had cause him. In the moment, it had felt right, almost _good_ to say it. To put it out in the open….until it came to haunt her for years to come. She still felt horrible about it, and it seemed that in her moment of emotional tirade back there, she had forgotten how capable she was at tearing her father to pieces.

What was she _doing?_ Abandoning her only family simply because he was a tough shell to crack? What kind of a daughter was she? It was as if Branch losing his soulmate wasn't enough, but she had to abandon him _too_? No. She couldn't let it happen, no matter how much she wanted to hate him. Or herself. They needed one another, and she had been so caught up in herself that she had failed to notice.

Straightening herself out, she hurried back towards the village, determination suddenly making a clear pathway for her to set things right. Clarity filled her thoughts and her soul. How could she be so _blind?_

"Dad? Dad!" Willow called upon re-entering the darkened royal pod. A single lantern light glowed in the distance, and with haste she ran to its source, busting in to his room.

"Dad, I-!" She began before her eyes widened in horror at the sight before her.

Branch struggled to face her, his hair beginning to gray considerably at the top and his skin paling indefinitely to an almost ghostly whitish-gray. A glimmer of hope flickered in his eyes as he spotted her, hunched over in front of the opposite window.

"Willow…." He gasped before his knees began to give out beneath him. The Princess sped across the room and caught him, holding onto his arm as he continued to fall towards the floor. Frantically, she took his hand and placed the other behind his head to keep him upright as much as possible.

"Dad? DAD!" She cried in absolute distress as Branch slipped away, closing his eyes and his breathing becoming as shallow as ever. Willow felt a fresh trail of tears begin to fall as she held him on the floor.

" _ **DAD!**_ " She screamed at the top of her lungs.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The Snack Pack and a few other trolls stood with a worried Willow as Mira, the village doctor, finished up her assessment of Branch. Giving a heavy sigh, she removed the stethoscope from her ears and looked up to them.

"Well?" DJ asked solemnly. Mira looked between all of them before ultimately resting her gaze on Princess Willow.

"It's nothing that I have ever experienced firsthand before. I have only read about it in textbooks." She said in astonishment. In confusion, the trolls exchanged looks before turning back to her.

"What? What's wrong with him?" Smidge pressed. The doctor stood and frowned deeply, clasping her hands together.

"I once read about a rare occurrence where if a troll remains deprived of his true colors for a long enough period of time, his or her body begins to shut down from the lack of happiness." She said. "We Trolls thrive on it, and to me, it is absolutely amazing that His Highness has made it even this far."

"But the first time he was gray, he was like that for twenty years! And he was just fine until he regained them! What changed?" DJ pointed out. Mira shook her head.

"It doesn't matter. The damage has already been done, and his body is just now catching up with him. I'm afraid….there's a chance he won't make it through this." Everyone's face fell in despair, giving out soft cries of shock and frowning deeply. After a long moment of agonizing silence, the next question was obvious but needed to be said.

"Is there _anything_ we can do?" Biggie asked in the saddest voice anyone had ever heard out of him.

"I'm afraid that without something to bring back his true colors, there is not." Willow's mind immediately went to the note.

"I may be able to do that." She said quietly. Everyone looked to her in surprise. A hush fell over the room as the Princess braced herself for yet another prodding session from other trolls.

"You could?" Mira asked, slightly surprised. Willow looked between her and all her friends, then spoke.

"Tonight…when I went to go meet my friends at our clubhouse, I found a note sitting on one of the chairs. Telling me that…..if I hurry, I can save my mom." Everyone gasped.

"The Queen?"

"She's alive?"

"There's no way! We checked everywhere!"

The flurry of chatter from this discovery boggled many minds, and it took a long moment before the commotion died down enough for someone else to speak.

"Why didn't you tell us?" Verne questioned her, a bright white bandage covering his left eye. Willow's gaze became sheepish.

"I was going to but….then Thorn attacked us."

"You were _attacked?_ " Harper repeated, stepping into the room slightly. She had not seen Verne today, and reeled back in surprise at the site of his wrap work.

"Yes, by Thorn and two trolls we didn't recognize."

"…. _we?_ " came the voice of Rosemary. Verne frowned, his good eye glancing towards the ground for a moment before speaking.

"We were all together when it happened. Canella, Jules, Willow, and me. We were all attacked." He said.

"But this doesn't make any sense! How could you receive a note from someone about Queen Poppy when she hasn't been spotted in over ten _years_?" River asked in confusion. Willow shook her head.

"I don't know. All I know is is that this is the first clue we've had ever, and I'm _not_ letting it pass by." The Princess of all Trolls declared in certainty, a fire in her eyes that had not been present during the whole situation.

"Hold on, girl. Just stop for a second." DJ, shaking her head for a moment. " _You're_ telling _us_ that within the last twenty-four hours, you've been attacked, had your father collapse on you, AND you received a message from someone about Poppy?"

"Yes." Willow confirmed. This only caused more chaos as speculations of fear and insecurity arose. Their King was in a coma, there were thugs on the loose, and virtually nothing had been done to solve anything. The entire room was in a clamor, and Willow fought to keep everyone calm. Then, a new voice arose, surprisingly loud.

"Everyone, QUIET."

A hush fell over the room as Peppy entered slowly, locking eyes on his granddaughter as her eyes widened in surprise.

"Grandpa Peppy." She mumbled. The older troll smiled bitterly, stopping a few feet from her with a wobble of his cane.

"Willow. I think it's time you know the truth." He said. Everyone stood completely still as he turned to address the group of trolls for a moment. Willow had not seen her grandfather in such a clear state of mind as he was now. He looked….wise. Regal. Thoughtful.

"I want everyone out of this room except for my granddaughter, my son-in-law, and myself. GO."

Nobody wasted any time in vacating the master bedroom, and with a firm close of the door by Mira, Peppy turned to Willow again.

"Come, sweetheart. Let's sit by your father." He said. Willow obeyed, pulling up a chair for both of them on either side of the bed. Willow rested a hand atop Branch's as she looked to Peppy expectantly. The elder troll let out a heavy sigh, closing his eyes for a moment to collect himself. Then, he opened his eyes with such determination that it scared her.

"You like history, Willow? Well get comfortable. Because you're about to get one huge lesson in it."

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 **Oooooohhhh Grandpa Peppy's got some secrets to tell! Apologies to anyone if violence is not your thing, it was important that I emphasize the dynamic between Willow and Thorn, since (as you may have already guessed), it will not be their last encounter.**

 **As for my updates, I may or may not be able to update every day from now on, but rest assured that I am not giving up on this story and I will try my absolute best to not keep you guys waiting for too long! Also, keep a lookout for a link to my Pinterest page here soon for fanart!**

 **Thank you for reading! Until next installment!**

 **Sincerely,**

 **Heartforhumanity845**


	8. Chapter 8

"First, I must start off by telling you that we are not the only trolls on this entire planet."

Willow nodded, figuring as much. To even think that they were was just giving themselves too much credit. Peppy confirmed her acknowledgement, giving a glance towards Branch before continuing.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 _A long time ago, in a land far away from here, there lived a troll and his Queen. Where they had originated from is unknown, but they lived in harmony along with a small group of subjects who adored them and worked tirelessly to take care of the royal couple and themselves. Many years passed before the royal couple were able to bring a child into the world, and this child was the Crown Prince of all Trolls. His name was Birch, for it was beneath the mighty tree that his birth took place._

 _Prince Birch grew into a strong and cunning young lad, and the King and Queen, whose names were never given, loved him dearly._

 _Then, one day, the Queen was tending to her field of rowan flowers when she spotted a tiny troll laying amongst it. With haste she withdrew the infant, and found him to be of the most vibrant colors she had ever seen. Blazing pink sprouted from his head, and his skin was of the most fluorescent orange. She carried him home to the palace, and they both readily adopted the young troll and named him after the foliage he had been discovered in._

 _As time went on, the King and Queen had begun favoring Rowan over their own son. Rowan was a marvel to the entire Troll village, being able to stretch his hair at least six times his body length, glow with color when he was happy, and sing with a voice that an angel could be jealous of. In comparison, the dark blue and gray Birch seemed like nothing at all. To make matters worse, Birch and Rowan fell in love with the same troll. A young, beautiful troll by the name of Azalea._

 _This instilled a strong feeling of jealousy within the Crown Prince, and one day, he finally decided to end it. He took up a small army of his friends and cornered Rowan in the woods, beginning to brutally attack him. Thankfully, the young adopted Prince escaped within an inch of his life. He sounded an alarm to the village, and with a mighty uproar, the Crown Prince was locked away in an inescapable dungeon. Having heard of Birch's senseless brutality, Azalea was appalled and proceeded to marry Rowan as he became King of the Trolls, having many colorful, song-filled children with him. These children, in turn, fell in love with those descendants of the original Troll Village, and had trolls of their own, and so on and so forth._

 _Several years passed, and Birch continued to rot away in a jail cell. During his time in jail, he came to get to know and fall in love with a young and foolish troll guard named Daisy, who he ultimately convinced to release him. Once free, Birch married her and started to have his own trolls, but it seemed that even fatherhood did not soften his bloodthirsty vengeance for his adoptive brother._

 _He sought out a small group of trolls in secret that were against the marriage and breeding of pureblood Trolls with the "colorful imposters", as they bitterly named Rowan and his descendants. They caused a rebellion that left Troll populations on both sides decimated, but ultimately the rebellion got what they wanted. Rowan and his Queen fled the land with all of their offspring, never to return to the homeland again._

 _It took many months for the clan to resettle. Many of them suffered a horrible fate in the icy mountains of the north, and it was here that Rowan lost three of his daughters. Still, he pressed onwards. Confident that they were close to discovering a haven for them to live in._

 _Finally, they found a forest that stretched for eons, full of life as vibrant and colorful as themselves, and happily settled within this place in a large tree. However, after only three years of peace, the so-called "pureblood" Trolls returned for continued vengeance, seeking to rid them off the face of the earth._

 _King Rowan and three of his sons; Juniper, Sage, and Aster, organized their own army and fought back with a valiancy that only could be compared to a fiction novel. The war lasted for a year, and it was during this time that Rowan's people befriended and gained an unlikely ally, the Sprites._

 _Unlike any Troll, Sprites were of a deeply magical origin and harbored many spells that could turn anything in the favor of those who wielded its power. They were only slightly smaller than Trolls in size, and always carried a brilliant set of wings that could carry a surprising amount of weight._

 _With their aid, Rowan's people were granted victory over Birch's army. The 'pureblood' trolls retreated into the confines of their homeland, never to be seen or heard from again._

 _Unfortunately, it was not without cost. Virtually every Sprite had become lost in the final battle, even their own King, Elwood the Great. King Rowan himself suffered a great personal loss, losing his wife and the remainder of his children, save for his youngest son Aster._

 _The Trolls mourned their dear friends' and fellow trolls' deaths for weeks on end. However, there was a glimmer of hope as King Rowan came to find that Elwood had left them a series of crystals, seven in total. They had strong cloaking and forcefield properties about them, and Elwood had instructed in a final letter that they were to use them for their own good if they wanted to be rid of Birch and his pureblood trolls for good._

 _He immediately set to work, encircling the entirety of his kingdom with the crystals, emblazoned upon wooden staffs that his master carver created himself to help exemplify the crystal's power. With this new power for defense, Rowan's people lived on for hundreds of years of peace._

As Peppy finished his story, Willow stared with absolute wonder. The elder troll cleared his throat.

"And up until now, we have remained at peace and safe from Birch's descendants." Peppy closed out with a bittersweet smile and Willow blinked several times. He chuckled, though it was not one of amusement or happiness, but more out of sheer amazement at the look on his granddaughter's face.

"I am sure you have many questions, my sweet Princess. And I will try my best to answer them all." He stated. It was with this assurance that Willow began to skim through all of the information that had been laid out before her. She cast her eyes down onto her father, who looked so at peace as he lay there, completely drained of all energy.

"These crystals…..if they have shielding abilities, how come no Troll here has ever been kept out?" She asked.

"The spells that the Sprites cast over the crystals were very special and could not possibly be repeated if they were to be destroyed. As long as you are a descendant of Rowan, the spell will not keep you from entering and exiting Troll Village. It is only a pureblood that will have difficulty passing through." Peppy explained without hesitation. Willow nodded.

"But what's stopping Birch's trolls from coming and destroying the crystals?" She asked.

"Ah, my dear. To anyone that is of Birch's blood, the crystals and the village are completely invisible to their naked eye, and therefore they have nothing to try and destroy."

Willow couldn't believe it. These other trolls….they sounded absolutely relentless and cruel. How was it that they shared a common history? Her head was spinning.

"However, even so, one of the crystals has managed to be smashed over the years. Its fragments remain tucked away…." He lifted his cane, opening up the top portion and producing a small cinch bag. "…here," He said. Willow's eyes widened.

What was there to do? She knew more than she could have ever thought, but how did it help their current situation? Her father was still fading fast, and she had to do something.

 _Mom._

"Is it possible that Mom knew about the purebloods?" Willow questioned. Peppy's face fell again, and he grimaced.

" _That_ is another story altogether." He said. Willow insisted with a jerk of her head, and with a sigh, the former King of Troll Village began.

"You see, Rowan wanted to keep the history alive as time passed on, for he was certain that if not a single Troll knew of the things set in place for them, there would be an inevitable slip-up down the road. He wanted nothing more than to keep his entire kingdom safe. So, he instructed Aster, his only remaining son and the only one of his children to not have a child of his own yet, that every royal troll that reached the age of twenty would receive a full history of our origins so that it remained alive. However, he chose to allow the history to dwindle out amongst the common folk, hoping that eventually, they would forget their dark origins as peace became their new friend. And so it did." He closed his eyes, squeezing back the sting of accumulating tears as he thought of his daughter.

"Poppy had reached the age of twenty, and it was just months after our victory with the Bergens when I informed her of everything she needed to know." He opened his eyes to gaze lovingly at Willow. "It was not long after that when she and your father learned they were having you." The Princess' heart fluttered for a moment before realization kicked in.

"So, Dad knows nothing about _any_ of this?" Willow asked in surprise.

"I'm afraid not. Poppy and I were planning to tell you everything on your birthday next year, seeing as it would be your twentieth and you would be eligible for Queen then." He said. Willow gazed sympathetically at her father once more, giving his hand a gentle squeeze. She so desperately wanted for him to wake up…..for him to say something. _Anything._ She felt the throb of her heart tighten in her chest, and tears brimmed her eyes for the millionth time that night. Peppy noticed the change in her demeanor, and rose to his feet.

"I have to find her." Peppy froze, his face widening. Willow's magenta gaze held on Branch as she spoke. He frowned.

" _No_ , Willow. It's too dangerous." He said, feeling a pang of familiarity from the phrase. He had said the exact same words to his dear daughter so many years ago when she was going to rescue her friends.

"No? You tell me all of this information and expect me _not_ to act? What if these…these _purebloods_ took Mom?" Willow shouted angrily at him.

"That's a physical impossibility, Willow. There was no way they could have done so, unless…" He trailed off as Willow remembered River's words from that dreadful night.

 _The Southern Boulders…..we found this there._

"Is it possible that Mom could have ventured out from beyond the crystal's barrier and been taken? How far is their scope?" Willow asked. At Peppy's hesitancy, it confirmed everything she needed to know.

"They have her." Willow stated, starting for the door. Peppy grabbed her arm.

"Willow, no! I _can't_ let you do this!" She whirled on him.

"My father is _dying_ and I have a chance of bringing him back, and you're trying to _stop me_?" She snapped, her expression murderous at the nerve he had in keeping her any longer.

"I'm telling you, if you go looking for her, you'll only find trouble!" Peppy said. Willow's expression fell to determination.

"Grandpa." She began. "I've given up on both of them now, and look where's it's gotten us." Peppy looked between her and Branch in defeat. She turned for the door. "I'm never going to again."

Peppy could barely get another word out as she disappeared down the hallway, her mind set on what she needed to do.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Wowza. That's a _lot_ to take in."

Willow had called an emergency meeting to the clubhouse, and in the middle of the night they sat on the floor of the abandoned mill, trying to process everything that Willow had told them.

"So you think these jerks took the Queen?" Canella asked.

"They _had_ to have. There's no other possible explanation." Willow deduced for them. Canella nodded, resting a hand on Flick's hair as the little troll slept with his head rested in her lap. Jules sat with her back against the wall, and Verne sat next to Willow, his head lowered as he continued to think on what she had said.

"And you want us to help you find her." He said. Everyone turned to him in surprise, including Willow, who was saving the proposal until very last. She slowly nodded, looking towards the ground. She was not expecting them to jump right on the opportunity. And she was correct.

"How is an astronomer, a chemist inventor, a baker, a narcoleptic, and a small Bergen going to find a lost Queen? From what you've told us, you've made these pureblood dudes sound absolutely brutal. And you want completely ill-qualified trolls like ourselves to just waltz right up to them and take Queen Poppy back?" Canella pointed out. Willow's gaze remained fixed on the floor.

"I know it's sounds crazy….." She mumbled.

"It doesn't sound crazy, it sounds absolutely INSANE…." Verne said before leaning in slightly. "Where do we start?" Willow beamed at him as Canella scoffed.

"Verne!" She scolded. He laughed.

"Awh come on, Nell! This is Will we're talking about! Would she _ever_ steer us wrong?" He asked. Canella looked between both of them before resting her skeptical gaze on Willow. Her eyes narrowing, she finally clicked her tongue and sighed.

"No." She said, a smile creeping at the corners of her lips. Willow couldn't help but smile at her friends.

"I'M IN!" yelled a voice from outside, rumbling the building for a split second.

"Me too." Jules stated timidly, burying her nose further into the scarf around her neck. Willow felt a boost of confidence right then and there as her friends all signed on board.

"Okay, first things first. I need to go get some things from my room, and then we can head out." She said.

"Right _now_?" Canella exclaimed.

"Yes! We don't have any time to lose!" Willow urged, standing up and making for the door. Canella and Verne exchanged a look before giving a shrug and following her.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Upon reaching home, Willow started to pad around quietly until the lights were abruptly turned on. She whipped around to look dead into her grandfather's eyes, who stood there with a backpack full of items. She cautiously moved forward and allowed him to slip it onto her back.

"I realize that just like Poppy, there is no stopping you. I just ask that you please be careful." He said. Willow's heart softened at the sound of that. She nodded, but gave a glance behind him.

"Can I-?" She began, but a quick nod of his head shut her up and down the hall she went.

As if seeing him for the first time, Willow approached Branch's bedside quietly, her hands clasped together in front of her as she looked at him closely. She wanted to remember every part of him that she could. She didn't know how long this would take, and she knew very well that it was not going to be a simple one. So, for the moment, she just looked at him lovingly.

The way she had acted before he collapsed threatened to creep up in her mind and overtake the moment. She quickly squashed its opportunity as she took a seat next to him and took his hand. It was so warm, so gentle…the times that these hands had held hers….picked her back up…tickled her relentlessly….these were the memories that she allowed to flood through, and unfortunately, some of them came in the form of an actual flood through her tear ducts.

"I'll bring her back, Dad." Willow's soft voice cracked, and she leaned over to kiss his forehead. Pulling away, she squeezed his hand tightly. "I promise."

She fought to tear herself away from his side. She had never been more than a village-length away from him her entire life, and suddenly she had to venture into the unknown without so much as a goodbye. Deep down, she didn't mind.

It was all for him. And that, to her, was enough to bring down anything that got in her way.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 **Alrighty folks! We are coming up on, what, Chapter 8 now? Wowza! (As Verne would put it! Lol) I only intended for this to be a ten chapter fic, but I doubt I can squeeze everything into two more chapters so looks like this story is going to be a bit longer! Yay! I hope this is not moving too fast for any of you, and if it is, rest assured that things will slow up a tad once we get our band of misfits down the trail to finding Poppy!**

 **I can't thank you all enough for your kind words in your reviews! It means the world to me as a writer and I'm glad I make it enjoyable for you all to read!**

 **Since FF won't let me post the link, just go to Pinterest's main page and type in 'shiptilyoutip' in the search bar. I will be the first one to pop up (my profile pic is Branch and Poppy) and my fan art is under the board named "my fanart -_-"". Also, please don't judge too harshly on my pen-name. I'm quite a humorous person, and the saying made me laugh. xD**

 **Until next time, guys!**

 **Sincerely,**

 **Heartforhumanity845**


	9. Chapter 9

The group's first stop was completely orchestrated by Willow, seeing as the others had no clue where to start, but as always, the Princess of Troll Village was one step ahead. They headed south, where the jagged terrain of the southern boulders cast an ominous horizon ahead. It was just past four in the morning.

Willow and Verne led, the chemist inventor holding out one of his contraptions thoughtfully. Flick was slung on Willow's back as she carried him along, Canella trailing behind and holding Jules' hands.

"What _is_ that thing?" Willow asked Verne, not being able to hold back her burning curiosity anymore.

"A compass." His simple answer confused her even more.

"But…haven't those already been invented?" She asked, trying to not sound too condescending of her friend's technology. Verne smiled.

"Ah, ah, ah! This is a _state of the art_ compass, capable of not only showing which direction to go, but also predicting the road ahead through the use of elevation." He explained. Willow had to admit that it was a good concept, and she asked no further questions. However, Canella was still willing to pick at him.

"And exactly _how_ is that going to help us?" She replied in a snarky tone.

"Because, for example, it is telling me that there are rocks of high altitude ahead." He said proudly, gesturing to the direction in which they were going.

"Well _duh._ We can _see_ that, Verne." Canella pointed out, gesturing to the obvious outline of the boulders again.

"Give it time. This device will help us down the road, you'll see." He remained optimistic despite Canella's jab at his pride. Canella realized the error of her words as she watched his face flicker with hurt for a moment, but as he always did, the chemist bounced right back at her like a rubber band. She deeply admired that about him.

Off in the distance, they heard the distinct crackle of tree branches and an audible yelp of pain. Stopping on a particular slope and readjusting the small Troll on her back, Princess Willow turned in the direction of the sound with a slightly amused smirk tugging at the corner of her mouth.

"Arnold, you don't have to keep walking through the fir trees. It's perfectly safe out here." Willow assured her Bergen friend, who up until this point had yet to show his face.

"I-I'm fine….just need to watch where I'm-OW!" A voice yelled back before another audible smack of a branch could be heard. The group rolled their eyes and smiled. As shy as he was, Arnold had no idea that he was involuntarily the funniest one out of the group.

Upon reaching the outskirts of the natural border to the south, Willow's eyes narrowed and she began to search much more closely at every surface she could observe. They began to bunch up as they slowed to look around for any sign of something. The narrow pathways and clearings within the large rocks were foreboding to say the least, with dry, vicious looking thorn bushes littering each turn. Dead trees barely hung on at some points, where scraggily vulture's nests sat in the twists of their ebony extensions.

"Why are we here again?" Canella asked.

"A search party found my mother's hug time bracelet and a dagger amongst these boulders the night she disappeared. I was thinking maybe….we'd find something if we looked hard enough." Willow said, beginning to realize how silly it sounded out loud. Her friends also took notice.

"Uhm Will…I hate to be a debby downer here but…." Verne said, cringing at an animal skeleton that was to his right. He scooted himself away from it as he passed. "If there even _was_ a sign that your mom was here….it has to be long gone by now."

"Yeah, Willow. It's been ten years. What makes you think there will even be a scrap of _anything_ left for us to find?" Canella conferred with her fellow Troll. The Princess gave them a look, knowing that they had her best interests at heart, but at the same time a little offended that they had such little faith.

"Guys, I know it's a long shot….but it's a start. It's _something_." She emphasized. It was then that the rhythmic rumble of footsteps came up behind her, and with a knowing smile she looked upwards into the nervous face of the fifth member to the misfits. His crooked teeth jutted out of his mouth in a severe overbite, as was many Bergens' dental situation. He had pale purple skin and wore simple canvas tunic and brown pants, his unruly feet and toenails another unfortunate Bergen trait.

"Glad you could join us, big guy." Willow said to him, making a sheepish smile spread across his face.

"Sooooo where to now, hot shot?" Canella asked. Willow skimmed her surroundings, a twinge of doubt beginning to pang in her mind. She shoved it away.

"I don't know…I think any direction will do." She said, and with that she was off again.

"If any direction will do, then why don't we just head back home?" Verne heard Canella grumble cynically. He eyed the troll with a slight frown, and she locked eyes with him for a moment and realized he had been listening. She looked away from him, and he turned his attention back to Willow.

The blue and teal troll had her ears perked and her head on a swivel, her feet stepping along the soft ground carefully.

 _There must be_ _ **some**_ _way I can have a better look around._ She said. Just then, she spotted Arnold out of the corner of her eye climbing a particularly tall boulder, and a lightbulb went off in her head.

"Arnold! Don't move!" She ordered as the Bergen startled and froze in his spot. Hoisting herself up using her hair, the Princess landed atop his shoulder and was instantly satisfied. This was _much_ better.

Boulders were as far as the eye could see, trees lining either side of the great valley of stone. Stretching on for what seemed like ever, she placed a hand to her forehead and squinted her eyes. Unfortunately for them, the moon was at third quarter, so light was not optimal. The sun was not set to rise for at least four more hours.

Then, she saw it. A glint off in the distance just to their left. Memories crashed through her brain as she remembered what she had found upon following it the first time.

"Hey guys! Head off to your left! I've got something!" She yelled down to her friends, and they quickly obeyed as Willow turned to Arnold.

"Head for that set of trees over there, Arnold." She said, guiding the Bergen along with Flick still sound asleep on her back.

Once reaching the spot, Canella, Verne, and Jules reeled in surprise as they spotted what Willow had found. Just like she had told them, the mysterious crystal-adorned wooden staff stood firmly planted in the ground, and Willow advanced towards it without a second thought. She looked around the surrounding circumference of the marker, her eyebrows furrowing in confusion as she found nothing.

"So, you weren't pulling our leg. These things are actually real." She heard Canella say in a joking manner, and Willow saw her start to reach for the sparkling stone in the center.

"DON'T!" She yelled, shoving her friend's hand away and holding out her own in defense. She took note of the surprised look on all their faces.

"Bad things happen if you touch the crystal." She explained. It was during this time that she remembered her original hypothesis, and she looked at them once again.

"We have to go further." She said.

"What? Why?" Verne asked.

"Because I think Mom was taken after she ventured _past_ this point. She wouldn't have been invisible anymore." Willow shared her theory with them. Canella, Verne, and Jules said nothing to this, but instead just continued to follow her as she made her way past the staff, leaving it alone.

A sudden weight lifted off all of their shoulders, and they looked around at each other in confusion.

"What was _that_?" Canella asked.

"I think it may have been the spell….we're no longer protected now." Willow stated, holding back a gulp that she desperately wanted to let go.

Jules shivered at the thought, clinging onto her brother's arm. Verne looked down at her for a moment. At fourteen years old, Jules was still quite the introvert and barely spoke a word. It was through her actions that most of them could read what was on her mind, and in this moment he could tell she was beginning to go into panic mode.

"Hey, hey, shhhhhh." He assured her, patting the top of her head and stroking down to her back. He slightly knelt to get at her level, and Canella watched with utter sympathy for the pair. Willow, however, was too engrossed in her own thoughts to even begin to worry about what was around her.

So they were now out in the open for other trolls to see. What now? Where should they go? It was like playing the worst kind of guessing game, and as they ventured forward, it wasn't long until Canella spoke up again.

"Hey Willow…." She started. The Princess whirled on them, wordlessly acknowledging them. "I..I know you're in a hurry to find your mom, and none of us blame you but…."

"We're getting tired, and we need to eat." Verne finished for her. Arnold and Jules nodded in agreement, and Willow fought back the retort sitting on her tongue.

As much as she wanted to press on as far as possible, the weight of her own sleepiness was beginning to tug at her entire being, and reluctantly she began to set Flick down on a soft patch of grass nearby.

"Okay, we'll sleep for a little while." She agreed, and she immediately heard an enormous thud off to her right. Her gaze shot up to observe Arnold sprawled across a couple of boulders, already falling asleep.

"Looks like we weren't the only ones." Verne joked, and they began setting up their own sleeping arrangements. They made a tight circle around a particular clearing, with the intentions of getting a fire going.

"Alright, let's see what Grandpa put in here." Willow mumbled to herself, beginning to dump out the contents of her bag. There were matches, blankets, a water source, some rope, a small pocket knife, a sleeping bag, and three satchels full of rations. She nodded in satisfaction. It wasn't a lot, but she was sure it would help her more than hurt her.

"Wow, looks like your gramps knew his stuff!" Verne commented as he also looked at all of the supplies set out before the Princess.

"I guess so. He never struck me as much of an outdoorsman." Willow commented.

"Better than what I could scrounge up." Verne replied, unrolling his sleeping back and flopping down immediately onto it. He released a sigh, looking up into the stars that hung overhead. They twinkled brightly in the clear morning sky, the haze of the oncoming sunrise increasing with each passing minute.

"Goodnight, Verne." Willow said quietly.

"'Night Will." He replied. She would have said goodnight to everyone else, but they were already sleeping away.

She also took a look at the stars above as she lay down comfortably, enveloped in the warm insulation of her own sleeping bag. She trailed her eyes along until she inevitable scaled the entire length of Lyra, giving a small smile. The constellation seemed to hang directly above them. She wasn't sure why, but it gave her a tiny bit of comfort.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 _"Are we_ _ **there**_ _yet?"_

 _Six-year-old Willow trailed behind her father with her head hung backwards in exasperation. She was convinced that they had been walking for a million years through the thickest bunch of honeysuckle trees she had ever seen in her life. Thankfully, there was a pathway wide enough for them to walk through without fear of being struck by the four inch thorns protruding from the trunks and branches of the vicious trees._

 _"I promise we're almost there." Branch reassured her, looking around carefully so he wouldn't miss their destination. It wasn't long before he stopped on the path. Willow took notice, stopping as well._

 _"Dad?" She asked, tilting her head in confusion as she watched her father stare straight ahead._

 _"Here. Here is where we'll make camp." He said promptly, throwing down his survival pack and beginning to sift through it. Willow took a judgmental look around._

 _"This spot looks the same as everything else. What gives?" She asked. Branch stopped his sifting for a moment to look at her with a tender gaze. He lifted a finger to where it was pointing off to the right and angling up._

 _"Look up and tell me what you see." He said. She obeyed, staring up in the seeming endless canopy of branches. Nothing._

 _"I don't see anything."She declared. He got up and walked over to her, placing one hand on her shoulder and his other into the air again._

 _"See those trees where my finger's pointing? Just to your left?" He asked. It was only then that she identified the distinct bone-white branches of a few trees nearby. She nodded._

 _"Those are sycamore trees. Whenever you see one, head straight for them. There is almost_ _ **always**_ _water nearby." He said informatively, and she nodded in confirmation. She had no idea that they even existed, and it was with this that she looked admiringly at her father. He seemed to know everything there was to know about the wilderness and how to brave its brutal conditions. It made her feel completely safe._

 _"Alrighty, I think that's enough firewood to last us through the next couple of nights!"_

 _Willow's mother, Queen Poppy, came into view carrying an enormous amount of sticks and wood she had gathered in the forest. So much so, Willow could only see the very top of her ponytail over the stack. It also presented a problem as Poppy stepped in the direction of a particularly high jut in the ground. Before either of them could warn her, her foot snagged on it and she started to tumble forward._

 _In a flash, Branch was by her side and tightly holding her to him, with the only expense being the scattered twigs all around them._

 _"Wow! Lost my step, I guess!" Poppy declared almost too happily. Branch just shook his head at her obvious slip-up, his face twisted in frustration. Poppy observed this and laughed._

 _"Oh come on, Branch. I would've been fine." She said. Noticing that his expression didn't change, her smile fell and she placed a hand to his cheek. She pressed a chaste, passionate kiss on his lips, his eyes flying wide open and his eyebrows as high as they would go. They held like that for a long moment, Branch pulling her closer to him with a simple shift of his arm around her waist._

 _"Yuck!" Willow cried, having witnessed the entire thing from a few feet away. This made Branch and Poppy slowly pull away to look at her. Exchanging a devious look, they both began to smirk._

 _"Well, my dear, sounds like_ _ **somebody**_ _is a little jealous and wants some lovin' too!" Poppy said jokingly, a grin now widely spread across her face._

 _"Seems so, my Queen." He played along. Willow realized what they meant, and in a failed effort began to scramble backwards as they advanced on her. However, she was soon scooped up in their arms and she shrieked playfully as they proceeded to nuzzle and kiss her all over her face._

 _She was in a fit of giggles as Branch began tickling her sides, Poppy holding her close as the small troll flailed in protest at her father's fingers brushing her sides. This went on for a good couple of minutes until Willow began to tire and just rested her head against her father's chest, interlocking hands with her mother. The three sat as closely as they could together, Branch and Poppy both offering up a knee for Willow to sit between them._

 _They sat in silence amongst the trees, just enjoying each other's company._

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

She awoke slowly, her vision blurry and trying to regain focus. Her hand was pressed against the cold ground, and she flitted her eyelids a few times in an attempt to wake herself up even more. She eyed the frost upon the grass in front of her, and she felt a twinge in her heart. The ghost of her parent's arms still hung over her from it, and it was with bittersweet disappointment that she realized it was just a dream.

 _Mom….Dad….._ She thought, sitting up and looking to the sunrise. Splashes of purple, orange, and pink streaked across the sky and filled her glistening orbs with a sense of hope. Nothing was going to stop her from getting them back. _Nothing._

The morning proved to be chillier than any of the misfits had planned for, frost edging the corners of their sleeping bags and stinging the tips of their ears and noses.

"Wow, it's a cold one!" Verne said, giving his arms a vigorous rub as they packed up their things.

"Yeah, no kidding! I wish I would have brought that extra coat!" Canella added.

Willow was just about finished with tucking everything away in her bag, when a flash of white caught her eye from the side pocket. She pinched at it, pulling free a folded piece of parchment paper.

 _ **Dear Willow,**_

 _ **Follow your heart. It will never mislead you.**_

 _ **Love,**_

 _ **Grandpa Peppy**_

 __She smiled at it, knowing the words to be true. She was about to tuck it back in its spot when etching on the back made her turn it over. What was written on the other side was much more confusing.

 _ **The relics are key, this much you know**_

 _ **The fourth one entails the way you should go**_

Relics? What relics?

Willow was completely at a loss now. What on earth had her grandfather written her? Was there even _more_ that he knew that he had not confided in her? It didn't seem possible. If it was part of the truth, why keep it from her?

"What's that?" Verne asked upon realizing that Willow had been quiet a little too long. The Princess looked around for a moment, ignoring her friend's question. Suddenly, she left everything and darted off in the direction of the staff they had discovered the previous day.

Upon reaching it once more, she quickly glanced at the actual wooden rod, and found what she was looking for.

"We have to find the fourth crystal." Willow announced upon returning to the campsite. "It'll give us a direction to go."

"You said these are all identical. What's so special about number four?" Canella asked. Wordlessly, the Princess shoved her grandfather's note at them as she frantically packed up the rest of her things. The other trolls and Arnold huddled around to read it, and realization came across their faces.

"Why didn't your grandpa tell you this to begin with?"

The questions were never-ending as they made their way along in the woods. As for locating the next crystal, Willow had laid out her map to try and plot the points where she believed the others would be. Assuming that the crystals were spread out evenly in a circumference around Troll Village, the next one they would encounter would be in the marshes.

"I'm sure he had his reasons. I'm surprised he told me anything at all." Willow admitted.

"Well one thing's for sure. This is getting weirder by the second."

Willow barely could understand why her yellow friend had said such a thing until she turned around to him. They all had their eyes locked on a specific point, and she followed their eyes until she also looked upon the face of a boulder just in front of them. There, streaked in red, was an arrow, pointing them to their left.

"What….?" Willow mumbled, squinting her eyes at the strangely painted sign.

"Who could have done this?" Verne asked.

"I have no clue." Willow replied before starting to go down the way the arrow pointed.

"Willow, hold up! Are you _sure_ you want to head that way?" Canella pleaded. When she was given a less-than-pleased glare, she continued. "You said so yourself that we're not protected by the cloaking spell anymore. What if this is a trap by the purebloods?"

"Canella." Willow said, turning and facing her friend dead-on. "I understand that it's part of your nature to worry, but if you can't take a chance or two every once in a while, how are we ever going to get anywhere?" She asked. Instead of taking it as advice, the copper brown troll took it in a completely different manner as her nostrils flared.

"This is way beyond _taking a chance_ and you know it, Willow. This is our _lives_ we're talking about. And I'm not about to give mine up over a so-called _'chance'_." She said, using air quotation marks. Willow could only frown at her friend, straightening out her backpack before speaking once more.

"If you don't want to help me, fine. Go back home. We're still relatively close. _I'm_ going to find my mom. No matter _what_ it takes." Willow said, turning on her heel and starting off again.

The rest of the group just stood there, completely torn on what to do. Verne and Jules kept their eyes on Canella, Flick slung along her back. After a moment or two, the troll growled in frustration.

"Why does she have to be so darn _stubborn_?" Canella chided before turning to them. "Let's go."

Verne smiled softly at his friend. Despite her pragmatic and paranoid nature, he knew that deep down, Canella couldn't possibly force herself to abandon Willow. It was why she had recruited them in the first place. For some annoying reason, she trusted them to help her solve the biggest mystery of Troll Village history. And trust, just like respect, was something that was highly valued amongst Trolls. And the Misfits possessed them both for each other.

They found Willow once again looking down at her map, paused at the entrance to an enormous tree-line that lay ahead. Her indigo ponytail bobbed up and down as she looked up from the map and back down, calculating their next move of direction.

"Verne, status report." She pointed back to him without turning her head. Canella could only shake her head. She _knew_ she had played them like a harp just now, and she knew it would work too.

 _Darn troll._ She thought.

Verne immediately whipped out his special compass and took a quick swipe around, looking down at the screen and waiting for a PING. Once it sounded, he looked back up.

"We are currently headed northwest, and the terrain ahead seems to be rather bumpy in spots, but nothing that we can't handle." He said. Willow nodded in confirmation, folding up her map and tucking it into the right pocket of her dress.

"Alright, let's move out." She ordered, and with that the Misfits were off in search of the next crystal.

Minutes turned to hours as they walked through miles of the dense forest of oak and birch trees. Verne and Jules had busied themselves with a game of I Spy, while Canella had begun picking up stones that looked particularly intriguing to her for later use. Arnold was trailing alongside them about fifty feet to their right, choosing to stay on the outskirts of the woods to avoid being smacked continuously in the face with branches.

"I spyyyyy with my little eye…..something…swirly." Verne said, smiling down at his adoptive sister as she began to skim the area for anything that fit the description.

"That tree trunk?" She asked, pointing to the rather gnarly looking tree off to their left, where a giant knot coiled itself at the branching point.

"Nice try, but no." Verne declared.

"That snail's shell?" She said, pointing to the little creature as it slid itself across the surface of a nearby leaf.

"Nnnnoooo…." Verne replied, a smirk spreading across his face. He was convinced that she would never get it. Jules' eyes shifted forward, and she beamed.

"Canella's hair?" She said. This made the female troll smile and turn her head back towards them as they continued to walk. A blush came over Verne's cheeks and he shook his head furiously.

"Jules, n-no…." He stuttered.

"Really? You're always talking about how pretty and swirly it i-!" She had started, but Verne had clamped a hand over her mouth to keep her from finishing. He flashed a nervous smile at Canella, who only continued to smirk and slowly turn her head back to the front. Verne released his hand over Jules' mouth.

"I was talking about the swirl in the roll of Willow's sleeping bag." He informed her, pointing to their princess' backpack. "See how it swirls?" He said, making a circle in the air.

"Lame. Canella's hair would have been a much better answer." Jules stated, and the copper troll's hand shot up to her mouth to stifle the giggle in her throat. Verne just straightened out his posture and continued in silence. The damage was already done.

Willow was only half-listening to the commotion going on behind her, lifting her canteen to her lips for a moment. Nothing. She shook it upside down, peering inside as if water would magically appear if she did so.

"How's everyone's water supply?" She asked.

"Dwindling. I had to use some last night to wash off my hands and I just drank the last of it about ten minutes ago." Canella reported.

"We're getting pretty low too." Verne informed her.

Great. They weren't even two days in and they had wasted time not only sleeping, but now had to stop for water? Willow's frustration flared up for a moment.

Looking around, she skimmed the area for any sign of a nearby stream. Nothing. The flare in her chest grew even more. Why must everything be so difficult? She was convinced that they could have been heading back with her mother to Troll Village by now, but here she was. Searching aimlessly for _water._ She continued to scour the surrounding area until ultimately laying eyes upon a specific spot. There, about fifty yards straight ahead, was the distinct pale-white branches of a sycamore tree.

 _Whenever you see one, head straight for it. There is almost_ _ **always**_ _water nearby._ Her father's words echoed through her brain from her dream, and all at one her heart swelled.

"This way!" She called back to her friends, picking up the speed immediately.

"Willow, where are you _going_?" Canella yelled after her, the group also picking up their speed and following her all the way to the bubbling edge of a creek. They all stopped abruptly, their eyes wide in shock. Willow smiled brightly and began setting her stuff down, reaching in the main compartment for her canteen. As she knelt to scoop the crystal liquid into its mouth, Verne stared at her.

"How did you know this was here? The compass didn't even detect it….." He asked, looking down at the device in frustration. Willow decided to keep her knowledge a secret for the time being.

"Feminine intuition." She replied with a snarky tone. Canella laughed as Verne rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, right." He replied skeptically, fighting back his smile while producing his own canteen and kneeling down to collect his share of the creek.

As the group continued to relax and refresh, Willow ventured a little further downstream and peered out into the wilderness before her. This world was so big, and they were so small…..

 _No._ She couldn't think that way. She had to press on. She _had_ to.

Her father's pale, dying face streaked across her mind. His warm but still hand. His shallow breathing.

Her reminder of her reason for carrying on was interrupted as she heard the distinct sound a grunt nearby. Though her hearing was amateur at best compared to her parents, Willow could still pick the sound out over the rushing waters. She looked around wildly, trying to locate the source when another growl of frustration rung out from the trees ahead.

"Guys, I think I hear something." She informed the group, skipping across a few rocks before landing back at the embankment. Her friends finished up what they were doing and followed her.

Upon nearing the sound, their walking slowed, and they ducked behind a bush nearby. Once she knew they were all safely out of view, Willow cautiously peeked her head out, watching the scene before her unfold.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 **Another one in the can! Sorry for this chapter taking a bit longer to type up, I had a little bit of a writer's block while creating. I sometimes lose confidence in myself as I come to particular parts in a story that I feel will not be interesting enough to captivate a reader, and in turn it gives me writer's block. So if this chapter seems a bit off, many apologies. I try my best.**

 **Thank you all for being patient and kind! Until next update!**

 **Sincerely,**

 **Heartforhumanity845**


	10. Chapter 10

Slashing and swinging away at a grotesque looking monster, a male troll hacked away at his opponent with a speed none of the Misfits had ever seen out of a Troll. He was calculated, calm, and deliberate, his confidence quite immeasurable.

He wielded a large sword made of silver and iron, measuring twice the length of his entire body. Its razor-sharp edges glistened against the morning sun through the gaps in the trees. Needless to say, he moved in such a way that captivated them all as they watched the fight unfold.

The monster itself, a tentacled plant of sorts, wriggled its many limbs in his direction, trying to get a grasp on him to seal his fate within its mouth. Its large, gaping mouth bared razor-sharp fangs that jutted out angrily as it fought to get a hold of its particularly combative meal. In one fluid movement, the troll hacked away the limb closest to him, making the monster shriek in agony. In one fatal mistake of movement, the troll had landed on the ground and the monster brought one of its other tentacles up behind him, smacking him into the dust and knocking his sword clean from his hand. He groaned, struggling to regain his stance as the creature's porous limb coiled around his waist and yanked him towards his mouth.

"HEY!" Willow hollered, bolting forward without a second thought.

"Willow, wait!" Verne yelled after her, but the blue and teal Princess scarcely heard him as she snatched up the discarded sword and advanced. Boy, was it heavy!

Wasting no time, she charged the creature and lunged, swinging the sword forward and bringing it down on the base of the tentacle that had the troll in its grasp. Spurts of bright green blood squirted from the fresh amputation, and the monster once again voiced its displeasure angrily. Its large eye focused on the Princess as she made her landing, snapping her gaze back up to the beast with a zeal in her eyes. Before the creature even had time to take a swing at her, however, Canella had side-kicked its face from the left, digging right into its eye as Verne brought down a tree branch atop its head. The monster gave a yelp at both forms of contact, and after the second blow, slowly fell still.

Panting heavily, Willow stood back up from her landing and ran over to the severed limb, where the troll was struggling to break free. She brought up the sword again with a yell, and crashed it down just mere inches away from him, making him jump in surprise. The grip around him instantly loosened and fell away, and he began to brush himself off. Willow held out the handle of the sword to him.

"I think this belongs to you." She said. He gave a nod, panting just as heavily as he reached for it and took it gingerly from her grasp.

"Thanks." He breathed, brushing the dirt from his pants, and it was at this time that Willow took the liberty to get a better look at him.

He was significantly taller than an average troll. Not so much that it was overwhelming, but he for sure had at least six centimeters on her. His hair was a deep chestnut/burgundy red, peaked on top of his head in a flattering, spiked manner. His skin was a pleasant shade of green, not too light and not too dark. His cheeks were tinted slightly darker, and his eyes….they boasted a deep brown, almost black if it wasn't for the way the light caught them. It was with this that a hand waved in front of her face.

"Uuhh, miss?" The troll asked, continuing to wave it in front of her. "Hello?"

Willow blinked several times, sheepishly jerking her eyes away.

"Sorry, it's just….I've never seen a troll like you before." She said with an air of wonder about her voice.

Verne and Canella exchanged a look, eyebrows raised.

"Well, you obviously don't get out much then. There's tons of trolls who look like me." He said, trying to sound joking but coming across as a bit uppity. The Misfits waited for Willow's witty comeback, but were surprised even further to find the princess just nod in response. She watched as he re-sheathed his sword.

"How'd you get that?" She asked. Noting his look of confusion, she added on "…the sword, I mean."

"It was a gift from my dad. He was one of the best blacksmiths I have ever known." He explained. Willow cocked her head in confusion.

"Blacksmith?" She repeated. He looked at her in disbelief before clearing his throat.

"Yeah, you know….blacksmith? Somebody who works with metal?" He said, trying to see if he could jog her memory. She shook her head vacantly.

"Wow, you really _don't_ get out that much do you, half-pint?" He asked. The nickname caught her off guard, and suddenly a finger was shoved in his face with a new set of eyes glaring at him.

"That's Princess half-pint to you!" Verne declared boldly. There were very few things that made the chemist inventor mad, but disrespecting royalty was one of them. The troll reeled back in surprise, looking to Willow again.

"You're a _Princess?_ " He boldly questioned. Before Verne could lay into him again, Willow put a hand on his shoulder to keep him steady. Her bright magenta eyes lifted to meet his brown ones again.

"Yes. Princess of Troll Village." She replied. His eyebrows raised up, and he gave another confused look.

"I'm sorry but…..you're a troll?" He asked. Willow was confused for a moment herself, until she remembered the key difference between her and everyone else in the clearing. Rolling her eyes in an annoyed fashion, she jerked at her hair tie and allowed her hair to bounce back up atop her head. The troll's eyes widened as she did this.

"Ah….I can see it now." He said. She shook her head, smoothing it back down and tying it back. After she had done so, he cleared his throat once more.

"Well, _Princess_ , my apologies but I must be going." He said, turning on his heel and beginning to walk in the opposite direction.

"Wait!" Willow cried out, and he did so, against his better judgement. Looking back at her with a slightly annoyed look in his eye, her mind scrambled for the next thing to say.

"What you did back there…..that was amazing." She said.

"Ummm…thanks?" He replied. She shook her head.

"No, no, no, what I mean is…..we could use it."

"WHAT?" came the collective yell from both the mysterious troll and her friends. Willow jumped at the sudden sync of all their voices. She didn't stop though, taking a few steps forward.

"My friends and I….we're on a seriously important mission to find someone and…we could use some protection from the trolls we're up against." She explained even further. She watched his eyebrows furrow and he began to shake his own head.

"No, I couldn't possibly—" He began, but she cut him off.

"I'll give you anything. Anything you want, I promise it'll be yours." She said in desperation, clasping her hands together. The troll thought it over for a moment, and Willow watched with satisfaction as the gears in his head began to turn and ultimately, his posture slackened.

"Anything?" He repeated. Willow's head couldn't bob up and down quick enough. A pause, then the troll turned to face them completely and crossed his arms.

"Alright, Your Highness, you've got me interested. What's my job title entail?" He said in an almost sarcastic tone. Willow fought back the giggle in her throat. Verne, Canella, and Jules just stared in absolute disbelief at what had just developed.

"Just watch our backs for us and fight when necessary. That's it." She said. He continued to look at her with narrow-eyed skepticism, but ultimately shrugged. She beamed, giving him a nod before turning to look at the Misfits.

"Okay guys, we have about eight hours of daylight left so let's get the most out of it!" She said, starting off in the direction they had been going before stopping to get water. When she didn't hear anyone starting to move behind her, she stopped and looked at them, jerking her head to the path before her.

"C'mon! We won't get any closer to the crystal by just standing there!" She said in an almost too-perky mood. It scared Canella and Verne as they exchanged another glance.

A few minutes of silent walking went by until the Princess ran to catch up with their new bodyguard, who had positioned himself at least thirty feet ahead of them.

"I'm Willow by the way. And behind me is Canella, Verne, and Jules. Flick is on Verne's back, and outside the woods is our friend Arnold. He's a Bergen." She rambled, pointing to each troll as she introduced them. The troll nodded absentmindedly, hearing only half of what she had been saying. She waited for a long moment, then tilted her head forward a bit to recapture his gaze.

"What's your name?" She asked. The troll broke his stare from the path and looked at her, blinking a few times.

"Uh…Briar." He answered hesitantly, pushing aside a particularly low-hanging branch as they walked through it.

"Wow, I've never heard _that_ name before." She said, and this made him look at her again in confusion on what to say next.

"Weird, because I've never heard someone named _Willow_ before either." He retorted. She blinked a few times.

"I happen to like my name, thank you." She declared. He snorted.

"Well, I'm glad you're content with being named after a tree." He said.

"You're named after a bush!" She pointed out angrily.

"Ah but at least the bush _I'm_ named after is known for its vicious nature. Yours is known for what? Whispering in the wind?" He said, giving a _psssssh_ sound after he was done. Willow was beginning to regret asking him to come. Thankfully, the two ceased their talking and carried on without so much as another glance. Willow rejoined her friends further in the rear, her eyes shooting daggers into Briar's back.

"Let me guess. Mr. Mysterious is a major jerk." Canella said only half jokingly, and Willow shook her head.

"He's definitely rough around the edges, that's for sure." She said.

"Well _you're_ the one who asked him to tag along. Time to suck it up, buttercup." Canella replied, and Willow just gave her a hard look.

"What's his name anyway?" Verne asked.

"Briar." Willow replied without hesitation.

"Oh _blech_! What a fitting name!" Canella gagged.

Willow's gaze turned to said troll again, watching him cautiously scope out the terrain with a trained eye. Though she was in no mood to tell anyone, _especially_ him, she quite liked his name.

They walked in complete silence for a good three miles. It was after this point that the scenery began to change, and the group found themselves inevitably headed into the marshes.

"This is it." Willow called out, yanking out her map and unfolding it to its full extent. She traced her finger along the path they had taken so far, tapping the small pinpoint that she had etched within the squiggly lines of the marsh.

"According to my calculations, we should reach the next crystal in about two and a half miles." She said.

"Alright then. Let's get this knocked out." Verne said, but not before a new voice sounded out.

"Ugh, where are we? And why am I in a sling?" Flick asked, putting a hand to his head as he straightened up slightly on Verne's back. They all gasped as he looked around.

"We're in the western marshes, Flick. We're almost to the second crystal." Willow informed him.

"Ah, that's nice…." He mumbled before conking out again. At Briar's questioning look, Willow smirked.

"He's a narcoleptic." She informed him. His mouth opened in an "o" of understanding and he nodded a few times.

The smell that accompanied them as they went through the marshes was quite repulsing, and it was with this smell that Willow was taken back to that night with her parents and the Snack Pack. The last night she had seen her mother. She didn't realize her face had fallen so much until Verne spoke.

"Hey, you okay there Will?" He asked, and she snapped her gaze up to his concerned expression.

"Yeah, yeah, fine." She said, nodding profusely and turning her attention back to the walk ahead.

It took them about an hour to walk the extent of the journey, since some of it was completely submerged in water and they had to strategize a way across without getting wet. Ultimately, they found some lily pads that let them cross safely, but it was a bit of a challenge finding them.

"I'm telling you, I know they're here." Willow stated.

"And I'm _telling_ you, they're not. Lily pads don't grow in marshes. There's too much algae for them to effectively thrive. Any troll with common sense knows that." Briar counter-argued.

"I'm sorry, since when did you become a wilderness expert?" Willow replied in a sassy tone. Verna and Canella smirked at their friend's sarcasm. This is what they had been hoping to see all day, since neither of them trusted Briar at all. Jules remained silent as always, and Arnold was out of the picture for the time being, since he had volunteered to move on ahead and scope out other ways of getting around the vast body of water.

"Since forever. Now stop wasting time. I thought you wanted to find your mom."

Oh, _that_ did it. Willow turned on her heel slowly, her ear twitching in anger.

"Ooh, _now_ you've done it." Canella said, completely entertained as the blue and teal troll pointed a finger at him.

"Look. I get that you don't know us and you don't know what we're capable of, but I assure you that we're smarter than you are making us out to be. _You_ agreed to come with _us_ , and I'm not going to have any disrespect towards _anyone_ here. Understand?" She spat, ultimately standing right in front of him with her back straight and her eyes like knives into his. Briar returned the glare before ultimately straightening out his jacket in silent submission.

Willow turned away, walking just a little bit further before waving at them.

"Hey guys! Over here!" She yelled.

They all ran a little faster to her spot, and the group congratulated her as they set their eyes on a huge part of the marsh literally covered with lily pads. Willow began guiding her friends one by one down onto their leafy surfaces, before the last troll made her flash a smug smile.

"What was that about any troll with common sense?" She echoed his words, and Briar just shot her a haughty glare before sliding down the slope himself, ignoring her outstretched hand. She just smirked after him, flipping her ponytail triumphantly before scooting herself down onto the pads as well.

They reached the other side in no time, Verne being the one to volunteer as aid this time. He hoisted each troll up the side as effectively as he could, and with his back bent down and his arm outstretched, he offered it to Briar.

The troll attempted to jump from the last lily pad to the ledge himself, clawing at the earth viciously as his grip began to falter. Verne chuckled.

"You know, it would be a lot easier if you just took my hand." He informed him, at which the tall troll just grunted.

"I can get up there myself, thank you." He said. Verne shrugged, turning his attention to Willow, who came up alongside Briar and took Verne's hand gladly. Briar watched the two interact with a slightly annoyed look in his eye, continuing to hurdle himself at the ledge and scraping up more of the earth in the process.

The Misfits carried on without him, knowing fully well that the art of abandoning a stubborn person would eventually make them come back to you.

They ventured just about a quarter of a mile further and spotted Arnold waiting for them patiently. Upon deeper investigation, Willow beamed brightly.

"Good work, Arnold!" She said, approaching the second crystal and found it to, as her grandfather said, exactly like the last one. She came up to the staff, looking for a carving. Sure enough, she found it and gave a nod.

"Just as I suspected." She said.

"What?" Canella asked as Briar finally caught up with them, sopping wet and streaked with mud and algae. Verne stifled a snort, with Jules smirking underneath her scarf.

"This is crystal number three. The first one we found was number two. So, if we keep venturing north, we should come to the fourth crystal before evening time tomorrow." She said excitedly, hopping down from the small mound the staff was planted in.

"Awesome! Now let's make camp!" Canella piped.

"Now?" Willow argued. "We're so close!"

"Willow come on! It's almost five in the evening and you know that sunset is going to be here soon." Verne reminded her, and with a groan she threw her backpack down in the soil of the earth, kicking up dust.

Canella began to start a fire, Verne laid out sleeping bags, and Willow busied herself with double checking her calculations on her map. She had to admit, her friends had a knack for asking to camp right when she was also getting tired. Rolling her neck for a moment, she spotted Briar clearing out a spot in the bushes nearby. She frowned, sitting up and resting her weight on her elbows.

"Hey, Briar!" She called. He only shot her a glance, continuing to work at his spot.

"You can come sleep in our circle! It's warmer!" She continued, feeling the warmth radiating from the small but strong fire Canella had started up.

"I'm happy right where I'm at, thank you." He called back bluntly, turning his back to her. She growled slightly in frustration, turning back to her friends and shoving the incident away in her mind. She had no room for his negativity right now, or ever for that matter. It was true, she _had_ asked him to join them voluntarily. She decided to give it a little time, and then she would truly be able to make a legitimate judgement on the troll.

"G'night, Will." Verne said to her, making her turn her head and smile.

"Night, Verne." She said softly, noting that Jules and Arnold were beginning to nod off, and Canella was fussing about her blanket covering her.

"Night, Canella." She said across the way.

"Good night, Willow." The copper-brown troll said back warmly, and it was with this return of farewells for the night that the Princess of Troll Village lay back and gazed up into space, her pink eyes glittering in all the star light.

It was amongst the flickering stardust that Willow found herself completely in awe, once again, at the sheer beauty and vastness of what lay before her. If the lands they sought were even half as beautiful as the night sky, she wouldn't mind it in the slightest.

Just for a moment, staring at the constellation Lyra as it hung amongst its brethren, the girl hoped that somehow, somewhere….her mother was looking at these same stars, waiting patiently for her daughter to bring her home.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 **Sheesh, that took longer than expected! So sorry about that! Like I said in the previous chapter, I sometimes have bouts of writer's block that I just can't shake. Thankfully, I have a clear track on where I want the rest of the story to go, so I hope I can crank them out efficiently and swiftly for you guys!**

 **So, we have been introduced to my last major OC for this fic, Briar. I chose to keep his story on the down-low for now, so if you have any burning questions regarding him, expect answers within the next couple of chapters.**

 **For the time being, I have disabled the PM option on my profile after receiving a couple of odd messages over the past couple of days. Nothing serious, just a little weirded out right now and I figured that disabling the ability to do so would put an end to it until I have least wrapped up this story.**

 **I am having a tough time staying motivated about anything these days, so your words of encouragement in your reviews are always a breath of fresh air for me, and honestly is part of the reason that has kept me going with this. (I'm looking at you in particular, Sodafiz! Bless your heart!) I can't thank you all enough for every review you make, whether you're a guest or a fellow author here on Fanfiction. I hope to create many more works for you all to enjoy in the near future.**

 **Stay tuned for the next installment!**

 **Warm regards,**

 **Heartforhumanity845**


	11. Chapter 11

_The firelight was bright across the room, flickering and spitting in the fireplace with such a rattle that made the small troll scoot further towards the foot of the bed. She swung her feet over the edge back and forth, trying to occupy herself as her mother stood in front of the mirror in the corner, finishing up her hair. The pink troll eyed her daughter using the mirror's reflection, noting how incredibly bored the young troll looked._

" _You know, the party will be done especially early tonight since we couldn't get Hubert to play the accordion." She mentioned. Silence._

 _She reached into the small box upon her desk nearby, producing three small hairpins that glittered like the night. With a small smile, she turned to the small blue troll, marveling for a moment in the fact that she had inherited such colors from the love of her life. She held out the pins, causing Willow to turn her head towards her._

" _Would you like to do the honors?" She asked. The Princess immediately perked up at that, bounding over to her mother as she knelt for the little girl. Gently, she tucked each pin in a flattering spot, and once she was done, she grabbed a hold of Willow and spun her about to face the mirror with her. Admiring her own reflection for a moment, she beamed down at the little girl._

" _Beautiful placement, Willow." She said, kneeling and blowing a raspberry against her cheek, making the girl shriek and giggle while playfully trying to squirm from her arms. Poppy laughed as well, holding her daughter close._

" _Beautiful placement, indeed."_

 _Poppy and Willow turned about to face Branch, who was all gussied up as well for the holiday party that evening. He smiled lovingly at them both as Poppy let go of Willow and crossed the room to greet him. The two embraced, and Branch pressed a gentle kiss to her lips while holding the side of her face._

" _You look amazing, Poppy." He mumbled. The Queen was about to reply, but the tiny voice of their daughter popped up from behind them._

" _Ugh, get a room you two!" She groaned. The two turned to their child, eyeing her thoughtfully._

" _And who, might I ask, did you learn_ _ **that**_ _from, Willow?" Branch asked. He already knew the answer, but wanted to see if his daughter would throw the troll under the bus._

" _Guy Diamond…I heard him say it to you guys in the woods a few days ago." Willow explained happily. Branch smirked while Poppy gave him a warning stare. He winked at her, kneeling and fixing the headband atop his daughter's head._

" _Well, when you see Guy Diamond with DJ tonight, I want you to blurt that out really loud to them, okay? I bet you they'll laugh really hard!" He said in a tone almost too peppy. Willow giggled._

" _Okay, Daddy." She agreed, and the royal family made their way out into the snowy village._

 _Later that night, just as Branch had instructed, Willow kept her eye out for the two all night, weaving her way through the crowd. Finally, she spotted them behind a building, and she noticed how close the two were. As they started to exchange a kiss on the cheek, she spread out her legs slightly and cupped her hands to her face._

" _Hey you two! Get a room!" She cried out, loud enough for everyone to stop for a moment to look at their beloved Princess. Across the way, Branch smirked deviously as Poppy's mouth hung open in shock._

 _It was true, it did make the trolls laugh. But Willow watched in confusion at the two trolls turned a shade of color she had never seen, and they shoved away from one another as Guy Diamond looked to the small princess._

" _Willow, that was totally uncalled for!" He scolded her, and she began to back up in surprise at his sudden anger, and she continued to do so until she met the warm, strong front of her father, who placed a gentle hand on her shoulder as he continued to smirk at them._

" _What's the matter, Guy Diamond? Don't like the little phrase you taught my daughter the other day?" He asked sarcastically, and he watched as the two blushed yet again. Willow giggled._

" _What does it even_ _ **mean**_ _, Dad?" She questioned. At that, all three trolls blushed heavily and Branch stuttered._

" _Uuuhhhhhmmmm let's go, Willow. I think you've done quite enough." He said, guiding the girl along back into the warmth of the village's party. The princess rolled her eyes as he avoided yet_ _ **another**_ _question of hers involving a phrase she didn't understand._

" _Da-ad, what does it_ _ **mean**_ _?" She pleaded for him to tell her,_

" _Let's just drop it okay, WILLOW?" He said, but she jumped back at the way he said her name. "WILLOW!"_

"WILLOW!"

The Princess' eyes shot open and she stared into the face of her dear friend Canella, who had been violently shaking her awake for several seconds. She blinked rapidly, rubbing at her eyes and giving a heavy groan.

"What is it, Nell?" She asked.

"Get your stuff packed, we're moving out." She ordered.

"What? Wh-?" Willow began, but it was then that she noticed her surroundings. Verne, Jules, Arnold, and Briar encircled their camp with torches in hand, peering out into their designated direction. She cocked a brow in confusion until an audible howl could be heard off in the distance.

Wolves.

Willow quickly scrambled to her feet and shoved everything back in her bag, looking around wildly to have an extra eye out for any advancements in movement. Verne came up to her and extended a torch.

"Where did you get these?" She asked.

"My mom had a whole bunch of them in our shed. I figured this would be a perfect opportunity to utilize them." He explained. She nodded, taking the handle from him and beginning to think up a strategy on how they would avoid contact.

"Okay, if we stick to the pathway ahead, we should be able to break free of this area pretty quickly." She said, automatically taking charge.

To her surprise, nobody argued with her and one by one, they filed out of the clearing with their ears still primed for the howls. They continued for a while, still echoing in their vicinity nearby, and the group made their way into a thicket where clovers of every variation grew untamed. The rustle of their feet, bodies, and belongings riddled the air as they brushed along, careful not to be too loud in anything they did. Once they heard the howls cease for a good fifteen minutes, Canella dared herself to speak.

"I think we lost them." She said.

"I hope so. The last thing we need is somebody being made into a meal for those things." Willow conferred.

Wolves of the forest were rather large, dwarfing a Troll by at least double. They had very bad tempers and were very seldom found alone. Once confronted by them, a Troll's chances of making it out of the exchange alive and in one piece was slim to none. Though it seldom occurred, the threat was still prominent, especially beyond civilization as the band of misfits found themselves.

The thicket was alive with noises from animals big and small. They heard a large bullfrog croaking nearby, and at this Willow made a sharp turn towards it. The rest of the group looked to each other in confusion, following the princess until they found themselves at the edge of a small pond. Without hesitation, Willow trudged into its depths, finding the very center of it to be just past her knees.

"Uuuuuummmm Willow? There's plenty of dry land around here to walk on." Canella said, gesturing to the surrounding area.

"Uh huh. Plenty of dry land for the wolves to track us on." Willow said. "Walking through water helps mask your scent."

"Only partially true. It masks the scent for only a short while, maybe thirty feet." Briar corrected, causing Canella to roll her eyes. Willow smiled at him sweetly.

"Then I guess we should find an ample place to be in thirty feet then, huh?" She replied without any effort. Briar ignored the obvious sarcasm in her voice, looking around before pointing off to the west of their position.

"There's a rock shelf over there that we can climb on top of and survey the scene." He suggested, and Willow nodded.

"We'll make for that then. Everyone, take a walk through here and follow me." She said, and everyone complied. Briar ran through it last, kicking away the excess water as he emerged.

"Verne, status report." Willow called back, and in no time at all the inventor produced the hand-made compass and held it steady for a few moments.

"Currently headed west northwest and beyond the cliff…..there seems to be some pretty flat land." He rambled off, Willow giving a nod. Briar had come up alongside him while he was talking, and once he had finished he spoke.

"How do you guys follow her so blatantly?" He asked. Verne turned to him, surprised that the brooding male was even talking to him. Blinking a few times, he adjusted his bag and Flick before answering.

"Because she's our Princess and best friend. We trust her with our lives." He explained.

"What if she's wrong about something? Won't that bother you?" Briar asked, genuinely curious. However, his intentions were once again ill-received as an offended look crossed Verne's features.

"I've known her for ten years and she has yet to prove me wrong on anything she sets her heart to." He said pointedly. Briar looked up to observe the blue troll again, watching her move about for a long moment.

"I sure hope she knows what she's doing." He commented.

"Even if she didn't, that wouldn't stop her. Willow's a go-getter. She always has been." Verne replied, starting to ease up on his haughty tone as he recognized a look on the troll's face he had not seen since meeting him.

"I guess you would kind of have to be if you were in her position." Briar said, an air about his tone that almost seemed versed. Verne could only stare back at him, trying to process what he was observing. Was he being….considerate? He held his breath on _that_ one.

Reaching the very base of the shelf, the group realized the climb was a lot steeper than they realized, and Willow frowned.

"Wow, that's _really_ high." She said with an incredulous amount of worry.

"Don't worry, Princess. I've got you." Arnold piped up for the first time that evening, gently cupping her in his hands and standing on tip-toe to set her down on top of the ledge. She teetered a bit before regaining her balance, smiling down at her friend as the rest of the group was lifted to her spot.

"The perks of having a Bergen for a friend." Willow said, holding up her hand for a high-five. Arnold shyly climbed the ledge himself and extended a finger to meet it, since the size difference would have knocked Willow clean off her feet if he had used his whole hand. "Thanks, big guy."

"Wow, Verne. Your contraption was right. There's not a hint of _anything_ around here." Canella said, observing the vast flat field that lay beyond the rocky shelf.

"Of course it was! As long as we have this baby, we'll find Queen Poppy in no time!" He declared, throwing his hands up. Unfortunately, as he did so, his grip on the device loosened and sent it hurdling over the cliff's edge.

They all peered over and watched it tumble, hitting a few juts on the way down and ultimately landing in a broken heap in the mud. An awkward pause fell over them.

"Well, shoot." Verne declared.

"No worries. I can get us a direction." Willow said, dropping her bag to the ground once more and getting to her knees to rummage through it.

"How? We have no compass now!" Briar piped up, throwing up his hands in defeat.

"What are you talking about? We have the biggest compass in the world right above our heads!" Willow argued, pointing upwards. It was with this that every head turned up and looked upon the glittering show above in the dark night sky.

"Of course! Star-mapping! How could I have missed it?" Verne exclaimed. It was in no time at all that Willow had two sets of maps set perfectly flat in the dirt and her drawing compass in hand. Glancing between the stars above and her map, she worked flawlessly as the rest of them watched her deduce their next course of direction.

Briar in particular was intrigued. Who _was_ this troll? She was unlike any one, troll or not, that he had ever met. She had intelligence, a fiery personality….a kindness that he had not seen since his own family.

"Bring that torch a little closer, Jules." Willow asked the little troll gently, and she scooted forward while dragging the scarf behind her. Several moments passed with not another word, then finally she clicked her pen shut and looked up to them.

"According to what I've gotten from the map, Lyra is set to move at least three leagues to the west by this Friday, which is in two days. Vega is also set to move that far, being the forefront of its form. Draco, neighboring Lyra, will be set to be at exactly 90 degrees above the fourth crystal and therefore we must travel north or east northeast for the remainder of the journey to its spot. Any questions?" She said.

Open staring was her response.

"What?" She asked innocently.

"English, Willow!" Canella cried. Willow gave them a flat expression, then jutted her finger towards the sky once more.

"See those three bright stars above the tree-line?" She asked. They all looked for a long moment then nodded softly. "The one that seems to be a little further out than the other two is Vega, the brightest star in Lyra's constellation. The other two are the brightest stars in Draco's constellation, Rastaban and Eltanin. Follow those two stars on a straight path, and we'll make it to the fourth crystal in no time."

"Okay, that's better." Canella decreed.

Willow began to wrap up her materials as the other's checked each other's supplies.

"Wow, I didn't realize you knew so much about stars." Briar's voice was a surprise to her, and she looked up at him.

"Well, when you've been at it as long as I have, you kind of get that way." She said. He bit his lip.

"Look….I'm sorry. I've been kind of nothing but a jerk since I got here, and as much as it is tempting at times….I don't think anyone would want to be thought of that way." He said. Willow stood up at this, her thumbs hooked in the straps of her backpack as she looked up at him curiously.

"With all due respect, Briar, I don't think _I'm_ the one you need to convince." She said. He furrowed his brows, and she jerked her head in the direction of her friends. Briar glanced towards them to see them eyeing him rather judgingly, starting to move into the field while still stealing a few haughty glances at them.

"I guess not." He agreed. Willow smiled, waving a hand forward.

"Come on. You can talk to me until we get there." She said. He looked hesitant, but followed behind her nonetheless.

"So, what pod do you live in? I don't think I've ever seen you around in Troll Village." She began the conversation with a harmless question. Briar stared at her.

"I….I don't live in Troll Village. I live in _my_ village." He said. She frowned.

"But in the story that my grandpa told me, he said that there are only two places Trolls have lived, the homeland and Troll Village/Tree. And we're way too far away from homeland." She said. He fought back the urge to reply with yet another snarky comment.

"Well, whatever your grandpa told you is only half the truth. You see, our ancestor, King….?"

"Rowan." Willow answered for him. He nodded.

"King Rowan did lead his trolls away from homeland, but there were some amongst his group that didn't like the fact that they were wandering around aimlessly in the wilderness for a new home. So, they broke away. Made villages of their own in the high mountains of the north and the swamps of the east. I'm from one of those villages." He explained. Willow nodded slightly, trying to add this new information up in her head.

"So how do you guys protect from the purebloods?" She asked.

"It's not been easy. Our village in particular has been attacked at least a handful of times over the centuries since Rowan led his people away from the homeland, each time nearly decimating our entire population." He closed his eyes for a moment, inhaling deeply. "The latest attempt had been when I was just eight years old." His eyes lifted to the dark tree-line ahead. Willow sensed his discomfort at his own words. It surprised her when he carried on. "My father….he was amongst the losses of that day…..he died protecting us from purebloods who ransacked our home."

Willow's heart sank as he delivered the information to her. He felt her gaze heavy on him, and he sighed.

"Well, I guess you could say that's my 'tragic backstory'." He said in an attempt to lighten the mood, cracking a forced half-smile. He could tell by the look on the Princess' face that she was not buying into the humor for once.

"What did you guys _do_?" She asked, prying even further. He took in a deep breath.

"The only thing we could do. Build ourselves up again, and strengthen the numbers that we had. I was dragged from home five days a week to practice sword fighting and basic hand-to-hand techniques….I was top of my class." He said, looking down at his opened palms. He clenched them shut, looking to Willow once more.

"There hasn't been an attack since, but I for one don't let that deter me. My father meant too much for me to become lax…." He said, his fist clenching angrily as he fought back the swell of emotion in his chest. The gentle weight of a hand on his shoulder made his gaze snap to Willow. She had a soft smile on her face, her glittering eyes looking up at him in understanding. Not remorse, not pity…..understanding. He had never seen such a vibrant shade of pink.

"You remind me a lot of someone I know." She mumbled as they stepped over a rut in the ground. The torchlight was getting dim, but still provided enough for them to walk safely across the plain. Briar couldn't find the words to say in response, so he just cleared his throat and changed the subject.

"So how do you get all these things out of the sky?" He asked. "All I see is a bunch of flickering dots."

"It's quite simple actually. You just have to use a bit of imagination." She said, pointing to a series of stars just ahead. "See that? That's Draco. He's supposed to be this long legless dragon. See?" She traced her finger along as Briar fought to see it. He watched her finger connect the dots, and she landed on a particular spot.

"And that's Vega, the brightest star in the constellation Lyra." She made a curving motion. "And see that cluster of stars along Draco's belly?"

For once, Briar could picture what she was talking about and nodded.

"That's Ursa Minor, or the little dipper." She explained.

"The Big Dipper is really the only one I even know the name to." Briar admitted, sheepishly scratching at the back of his head with embarrassment.

"Well, maybe I can educate you." She said softly. And for the first time since meeting Willow, Briar smiled back at her.

"Hey, you two! What are you going on about back there?" They heard Canella call back, and Willow smirked with a shake of her head. Noting Briar's expression change to slight annoyance, she leaned into him a little.

"Don't mind Canella. She really is a lot cooler than she seems." She reassured him, and he nodded. She gazed at them fondly.

"Honestly, I can't think of a better group of people to help me find my mom." She said. Briar's interest peaked at this.

"Your mom?" He repeated. Willow's heart skipped a beat for a moment. She hadn't even told him why they were out here.

"Yeah, my mom. It's the whole reason we're all out here in the first place. She went missing over ten years ago and there hasn't been a sign of her since. We're hoping we can find her before it's too late." She explained.

"Why now? Ten years is a long time to wait before sending a rescue team." Briar asked, genuinely confused as to why they had taken so long. He watched Willow's demeanor completely droop at his question, and he almost regretted asking.

"My dad….he's dying. And if we don't bring my mom back in time to restore his true colors…..he may not make it." She choked out that last part, turning her head away from him and swallowing the lump in her throat, tears beginning to fill inside the ducts of her eyes. Okay, nowhe _really_ regretted asking. Before he could utter an apology, he was once again cut off.

"What's going on? Why is Willow crying?" Canella asked, and it was then that he realized the rest of the group had slowed up to allow them to get closer.

"What did you say to her?" Verne asked him accusingly before Willow held up a hand.

"No, guys. It's okay. We were just talking, that's all." Willow said between sniffles, wiping at her nose with her forearm. Verne put two fingers up to his eyes and then pointed the same two at Briar. Willow snorted while Briar arched a brow.

"Verne, you're not my big brother." She said as she stifled her laugh. However, that didn't last long as he put a hand to his chest and mustered up the most fake-looking hurt expression that he could.

"You insult me, Your Highness! As your oldest and dearest friend, I must protect you from all matters, physical and emotional!" He said in a mock accent, making Willow double over in a fit of giggles. Briar himself couldn't hide the smirk on his lips as Verne gestured to him with dramatic spite.

"Verne, you are seriously the biggest dork ever." Canella said, fighting back her own smile that threatened to tug at her lips. However, the laughter in her voice was a dead giveaway.

"A title I carry proudly, Miss Canella. Now fetch me my coat." He continued the acting flawlessly, giving her a nod and turning about to saunter dramatically in the other direction. Willow was on the ground now, clutching at her sides as the laughter started to hurt.

"You're so embarrassing." Jules mumbled, which only made Verne and Willow laugh harder.

Once they had collected themselves again, Verne walked over and extended a hand out to Willow. She took it, allowing him to pull her to her feet as she released a sigh.

"Boy, I needed that. Thank you, Verne." She said. He smiled at her.

"You know I can't stand to see you sad, Highness." He said.

"Alright, I let it slip one time, but two is pushing it." Willow said, trying to sound serious but her tone was still somewhat playful from the laughter she had just calmed herself from.

"Okay, okay, Will. Calm down." He said, throwing up his hands in defense. However, he gave out a small grunt of surprise as she yanked him into a hug. He returned it gently, his shoulders slacking.

"Seriously, though. Thank you…..for everything, not just this." She whispered into his ear. He could only smile wider at that.

"Any time, Will. You know I'll always be here." He said, and the two pulled away to give another smile to one another.

Briar watched this exchange along with Jules and Canella, a pang of something in his chest. He ignored it as the two trolls began their walk over to rejoin them and begin walking again.

A few hours passed and the group was inevitably near, the sun beginning to peek its head over the horizon and changing the sky to a hazy gray rather than a deep blue. Terrain had changed slightly to more mountainous, beyond that lay yet another thick group of trees. Something about the way they stood raised a feeling of déjà vu to Willow, her gaze locked on the contour of each towering pine tree in the distance.

"How close do you think we are now?" Verne asked.

"Close." Willow said, her absent-minded tone making Briar look at her and observe her skeptic stare. He wondered what she was thinking, but barely had time to ask as she bolted ahead.

"Everyone, stay close. I think I know where the next crystal is going to be." She said, making a beeline straight for the trees ahead.

"I swear, she's going to be the death of us." Canella commented as they picked up their pace a bit.

"Come on! I have a good feeling about this!" Willow called back at her friends' sluggishness.

"Goodness help us when Princess Willow has a good feeling about anything!" Verne yelled back, and Willow just laughed. For a good quarter mile, they ran, until they almost collided with their blue leader as she stopped abruptly.

"Willow…..you seriously….need to work on…..your communication skills." Canella puffed out as she hunched over to catch her breath. The princess held up a finger, her sights set on the spot ahead. She waited.

"There." She said as a flicker of something flashed nearby. They all saw it, and booked it the rest of the way. (Much to Canella's chagrin)

Willow could barely contain herself as she almost slammed into the very same crystal she had discovered ten years ago, finding the number 4 carved beautifully into its staff.

"Ha ha! We found it!" Verne cheered.

"Correction: Willow found it. We just happened to be here for it." Canella said jokingly, and Willow beamed once again.

"So, what now?" Briar asked.

"Well, I-…." She froze. What _was_ next? Seeing as the directions had stated it would show them where to go, she had not given it much thought.

"I don't know…..my grandpa said that this crystal was the one that would lead us where to go." She said.

"So you don't have _any_ idea what to do?" Canella asked, her eyebrows raised and her hands on her hips.

"Don't worry, just…..start looking." The Princess reassured them, setting the example by turning and beginning to skim the ground for any sign or clue of a way they should head to.

 _There must be something here._ She thought to herself as her eyes flitted frantically around her in search of anything that could point her to her mother's whereabouts. Then, another glint amongst the rocks below her feet made her stoop down immediately, pinching at it until she was able to break it free from its spot and lifted it closer to her face. She knew its structure immediately.

 _Mom's hairpin._

"Guys! I found something!" They hurried over and all locked eyes on the glittering piece wedged in the Princess' fingers.

"Mom's hairpin! I know this is hers! It means she must have been this way!" Willow gushed excitedly. They all looked to one another.

"Willow….that still doesn't give us any incentive on where to go…." Canella reminded her reluctantly.

"Yes, it does! She had three of these! So there's two other ones lying around somewhere, possibly like a trail leading to where she is! Like breadcrumbs!" The Princess quickly assured them.

"Yes, but _where_? I'm not about to go looking for two tiny little hairpins. It's like trying to find a needle in the haystack." Briar added, crossing his arms.

"Mom was taken from the Southern Boulders. Her hairpin _here_ indicates that the purebloods who took her must have ventured past here." Willow deduced, putting a finger to her chin in thought.

"Yes, that makes sense because the homeland is to the north." Canella said incredulously.

"But why _here_? Why this spot exactly? They could have gone north any way they wanted but chose to come to this crystal…why?" The blue and teal troll furrowed her brows as she tried to concentrate.

"Well, _I'd_ say that if I had a hostage Queen in my possession, I'd want to get to where I'm going as soon as possible to avoid getting caught." Verne hypothesized. Willow's eyes widened slightly as the combination of his words and a sudden memory from her first encounter with the crystal rung like a bell in her mind. Nearing the crystal again, she held a hand out.

"Everybody stand back."

"What? Why?" Canella asked.

"I want to try something." Willow mumbled, outstretching her hand and slowly inching herself closer until her hand was on it. At first, there was a ripple of purple light just as there was before, but the longer she held her hand there, the more the lights began to materialize into a circular shape until before anyone knew it, they were staring into a glowing ring.

"Whoa….."

"A portal…." Willow identified it without hesitation, then turned to her friends once more.

"This _has_ to be where they went." She said, taking a step forward before Canella lunged for her arm and grabbed it.

"Hold up, Will. We have _no idea_ where this goes. We can't just walk through haphazardly." She exclaimed, ever so cautious about everything. Willow frowned, pulling her arm free from her grasp.

"I meant what I said at the beginning. I'm finding my mom and bringing her home. No matter what it takes." She said.

Nobody argued with her after that, and they all gathered around the glowing opening, except for one. At this, the Princess turned to face her Bergen friend, who had not moved a muscle.

"Arnold?" She whispered. He shook his head, fiddling with his fingers anxiously.

"I can't go in there, Willow. I'm much too big and…..I miss home. I've been gone way too long." He said.

"Arnold…." Willow said again, moving closer to her large friend.

"Please, Princess. You're going to do just fine without me. All of you." He pleaded, and Willow's demeanor softened after that. Taking a few more steps forward, she looked up at him sympathetically.

"I can't make you go, you know that." He extended a finger to her, and she hugged it tightly before pulling away and giving him a bittersweet smile. "Take care of yourself getting home okay?" He nodded before eyeing his narcoleptic friend, who was still strapped to Verne's back. He extended a hand once more.

"Here, I'll take Flick. Something tells me you won't be needing him much either." Gently, Verne unslung him and placed him in his hands. Willow continued to watch him, and when he turned back to her one last time, she smiled.

"We never would have gotten this far without you, big guy." She said gently, and once again it made the Bergen smile like an idiot in return.

"Thanks, Willow. Be safe." He pleaded, beginning to turn and walk off in the opposite direction.

"Jules, go with them." Verne piped up. The little purple-haired troll snapped her gaze to him in surprise.

" _What?_ Verne, I—"

"Go home and see Mom. Tell her everything. I'm sure she'll want to know." He said, fixing her scarf and guiding her along by the shoulders.

"Yeah, you can be our voice for the past few days. Get everyone up to date on our progress." Willow suggested, completely on board with the idea. Jules only nodded nervously, looking back at Arnold and Flick before turning to them once more.

"O-okay…..but Willow?" She asked.

"Yes, Jules?"

"Please….be careful. I may not be as intuitive as you, Verne, and Canella but…..something makes me feel off about this….." She said, eyeing the portal again as she spoke. Willow understood her concern, and took the girl's hand for a moment to give it a squeeze.

"We will."

With that, the two groups went their separate ways, and Willow steeled herself for the walk ahead. No matter where this portal led them, she was convinced that it was one step closer to bringing her mother home.

Cautiously passing through, the four felt the weight of the pressure change and the immediate sound of rushing waters greeted their ears. Looking around, they found themselves in the thick density of yet another forest. A river twice the size of the one they were used to seeing rushed nearby, and the vegetation was so thick that the group could barely see ten feet from their spot.

"Where _are_ we?" Canella mumbled.

"If I had to guess, somewhere near the homeland." Briar replied, looking around suspiciously.

"Well, let's get moving. We don't want to stay anywhere for too long." Willow said.

"Hold on, half-pint." Briar said. At the mention of the nickname again, she shot him a glare but he jutted a finger upwards.

"Tell me what you hear." He said.

The three perked their ears to the surrounding area and only looked back at him in confusion.

"I don't hear anything." Willow commented rather haughtily.

"Exactly. Nothing. No birds, no animals…..it's deathly quiet." Briar pointed out, and now that he had, it made her uneasy. The forest was always so teeming with life back in Troll Village, this was entirely new. Like at any moment, something could happen to where they would be joining its unsettling peace.

"We should still get moving." The princess argued after a moment or two.

"And where exactly are we going?" Canella argued.

"The only way we can go: north." She replied.

Again, the others wordlessly followed her into the forest, and it was a long time before any of them spoke again.

"I wonder if this is the same exact way Queen Poppy went." Verne commented, but before anyone could answer they heard another, much more unwelcoming voice.

"Well, well, well, what do we have _here_?"

They all looked to spy Thorn, along with those two nameless trolls, appear behind a particular cluster of bushes off to the left. Again, they wielded some rope and were also carrying swords this time. They all reeled in shock at the sight of Thorn's scar, red and jagged, streaking across and over his left eye socket.

"Like your handiwork? I've come to like it myself." He said, knowing exactly what they were staring at as he pointed to it.

"You again? Are you _stalking_ us or something?" Canella snapped loudly.

"Relax, everyone. I promise this will be over quickly." Thorn said, running his hand along the entire length of rope and collecting it on his upper arm, his eyes locked on Willow. The blue troll's fists balled and her expression turned bitter.

"I told you then and I'll tell you now, I'm _not_ going with you." She barked,

"Oh, we'll see about that. You see, we haven't come alone this time." A rumble of growls could be heard behind them, and it was then that the four trolls realized that there were sets of yellow, cat-like eyes glaring at them amongst the foliage all around.

"How did you-?" Willow mumbled in disbelief. Thorn chuckled.

"Don't worry, Princess. We won't set them on you as long as you come quietly." He said in a tone that could make milk curdle on contact. She shot another glare at him.

" _Why_ do you want me so bad? Obsessed much?"

"Oh, my dear, sweet Princess. There is _so_ much more to it than _that._ " It was then that he advanced, dodging her blows and kicks almost too easily and grabbing for her arm. The other two trolls started for Verne and Canella, the latter stepping in front protectively and wielding the same knife as before.

Once Willow's wrist was in Thorn's grasp, he twisted. Hard. Willow let out a shriek of pain, and he was about to coil the rope around her when Briar charged forward.

"Hey! Leave her alone!" He bellowed, producing his sword. The two clashed with metal on metal, the sound ringing through the air as Willow was thrown from Thorn's clutches, landing harshly in the dirt. She whipped her head back up, and she spotted a wolf prowling behind Briar, its ears pinned and its body low to the ground, ready to pounce.

"Briar, watch out!" She yelled, and with ease Briar dodged the lunging wolf's jaws and landed in a fighting stance, his sword held out in front of him at an angle. Thorn and he squared off for a long while, grunting and slashing along the forest floor. Amidst their own chaos, Verne had reached for something in his bag and held it up in the air.

"Will! Catch!" He called, and she quickly caught it. A pocketknife.

She stood up and steeled herself for combat again, but just as she laid eyes on Briar, he was knocked across the face by Thorn and fell back onto the ground in a heap. Thorn's yellow eyes glided over to pierce into her, and her breathing hitched as he was on her in a matter of seconds. He was so _fast_ ….

The two collided again, this time with Willow able to take a jab at him almost immediately in the side, making him hiss and kick at her feet. It threw off her balance, but she quickly regained it with the aid of a tree stump and roundhouse kicked Thorn in the arm, throwing him into the dirt and allowing her to stomp her heel into his sternum, her pocketknife held dangerously close to the cornea of his eye. Willow's face was flushed with colors, and strands of deep blue hair frizzed out in all directions. Her look, however, was downright psychopathic.

"Where is my mother?" came the hiss of her low voice. Thorn smirked deviously.

"What a trivial thing to ask, Highness." She shoved the blade into his cheekbone, the tip barely puncturing the skin.

"Don't play smart with me! I know that you know! WHERE IS SHE?" She screamed in his face. Thorn only could continue to smirk at her obvious distress.

"Rest assured she is quite comfortable where she's at…..and quite far from you _ever_ finding her." He said matter-of-factly. So, she _is_ alive. However, Willow was under no inclination to trust or believe Thorn in any way, but something within her made her feel as if he was telling the truth. Regardless, the rage it ignited within her at his pompous statement fueled her to no end.

"Take that back." She threatened. Thorn laughed, throwing his head back.

"Oh, Princess. Princess, princess, princess. There's still so much you don't know." He said through his bouts of laughter. Her grip tightened on the pocketknife and she shoved her heel deeper into his chest, making him grunt but otherwise continue to chuckle.

"TAKE IT BACK!" She screamed at the top of her lungs, getting ready to slash his throat right then and there when Briar's voice caught her off guard.

"WILLOW!"

Blunt, heavy force crashed into her and sent her sailing at least six feet to the left, landing once again in a rough heap on the ground. She gasped for air and her vision spun, but she could make out Briar fending off a wolf. During the struggle, the wolf was able to claw into Briar's back, producing a deep gash where blood immediately began oozing.

"AAAUUUGH!" Briar cried, cinching his shoulder blades together in agony. Canella and Verne were finally able to join the fight, dragging the two unnamed trolls with them. The three against three was quite a match, but ultimately Canella had managed to badly injure many of the wolves and one of Thorn's henchmen, a fire in her eyes that could be compared with the pits of Hell. Thorn started to charge again, but she held up the blade in his face.

"Get back, before I slice the other side of your face!" Canella hissed at him, and it was with this that Willow had finally gathered the balance to stand again, breathing heavy and her hand still clutching her own knife. Thorn looked at her with such malice that she was convinced he could have murdered her where she stood had his gaze held a weapon.

"You can't run forever, Highness. Sooner or later, you _will_ come with us. Just watch." He said, his grin spreading as the two henchmen followed him back into the woods, disappearing from view.

 _Cowards._ She thought. Wasting no time, Willow scrambled across the way, throwing herself to her knees next to Briar. He laid with his belly down, a bright red gash seeping blood through his cloak.

"Briar! Briar, are you okay? How bad does it hurt?" She said, rolling him over gently until he was staring up into her eyes. He was extremely winded.

"Just…..get us…..away from here." He forced out through heavy breaths, and Willow took one of his arms and hooked it over her shoulders so she could pull him to his feet. Verne took up the other side and they began to retreat into a grove nearby. They sat in a small clearing where a few logs were placed almost thoughtfully, facing each other. Once she made sure Briar has a seat at one of them, the Princess reached into her pocket and produced a small cinch bag. She hurriedly stepped about twenty feet away from the clearing, sprinkling the contents of the bag into her palm.

"Uh, what are you doing?" Briar asked.

"Making us safe. These are fragments of a broken crystal, like the ones that guard our village. They have powerful spells attached to them." Willow replied, carefully placing it in a circle around them.

"How is a bag of invisible rocks going to help us?" He snapped. Willow finished up and tucked the bag away.

"Because, they've helped the people of Troll Village _this_ far, I figured that one more night really wouldn't make a difference." She explained to him, and after that he fell silent. Willow wasted no time in letting her backpack fall and began sifting through her belongings. Ultimately, she produced a small vial of seemingly clear liquid and turned back to him, making a swirl with her finger.

"Turn around." She ordered. He looked at her for a moment, and watching her eyes harden with insistence, he sighed and did so.

"Take off your cloak and shirt." was her next command. However, she was surprised to find he held no resistance to _that_ order, and in a flash, they were off. Her eyes widened a bit at his bare, toned back, but she scooted closer to him with the vial and leaf in hand nevertheless.

"Stay still." She said last, this time her voice a lot softer.

Verne and Canella watched this exchange with rather high amusement. Willow's flustered expression had not gone unnoticed, and Canella decided to make the most of it.

"So, Briar, I have to admit. You were pretty brave back there, putting yourself in front of that wolf for Willow." She said, a small smile on her face as she watched the troll's face darken in color a bit.

"Uhhmm thanks, Ca—OW!" He yelped, jerking himself away from the pressure of Willow's fingers against his back.

"It's almost as if you were _protecting_ her….." Verne joined in. Briar shrugged, trying to look indifferent about the accusation.

"Well, I guess you could say tha—YOW! What is _in_ that stuff?" He cried, yet again flinching away. Willow huffed.

"If you wouldn't _move_ so much, it wouldn't hurt as bad!" She scolded. Now she understood how her mother had felt when Willow refused her medicine when she was younger. Again, to her surprise, the troll fell quiet again, turning his gaze back to the front.

"Hey Verne, shouldn't we go find some firewood?" Canella asked in an almost too loud tone.

"What? We have plenty right he-!" He started, but the copper brown troll yanked him by his collar into the woods before either of them could protest.

Silence. Willow continued dabbing lightly over the affected area, watching Briar wince at each brush. She kept her eyes glued on the wound, not daring to glance even a fraction of an inch away.

"To answer your question, this vial contains extract from the santania flower. It has rapid healing elements in it." She said, letting a pause go between them before she added, "….my mother used to use it on me when I had a cut or bruise."

Briar sensed the sadness in her voice. He allowed his posture to slacken, and even though it still burned, he leaned back a bit to give the Princess better access to the gash. She noted the change, and smiled at him softly, though she knew he did not see it.

"And….Canella's right. You were really brave back there." She confirmed. Briar felt a heat coming to his face.

"Uh-um….well, I…..I figured someone had to do _something_." He said, cursing himself a million times over at the lame statement. However, he came to realize that Willow didn't seem to mind as the warmth of cotton pressed against his back. He turned to look, and found her starting to wrap the wound with bandaging from her first aid kit.

"I'm glad you did. I'd say you did your job well." She replied, and it was the first time the pair had locked eyes all days. She smiled, and in the dimming light of day, her magenta eyes looked as if they glowed. Try as he might, he couldn't look away. She cleared her throat, tearing her own gaze away and looking down.

"Well, um, I guess I should finish wrapping this up, huh?" She asked, and she dared herself to do the one thing she told herself she wouldn't. Her eyes wandered as she stretched the bandages taut over the affected area. They scanned and glided over every curve and defined muscle, until something caught her eye. She leaned a little closer, and she watched Briar jump at the feeling of her breath on his neck. She ignored this, brushing a finger along the nape of his neck, a small star-like scar almost perfectly centered there.

"What's this?" She asked, and Briar tried to ignore the shiver climbing up his spine at her bare touch.

"Well, this isn't the first time I've gotten into a bit of a conflict." He explained mysteriously. Willow's eyebrows raised slightly, and as much as she wanted to, she chose not to pry for the sake of making things incredibly awkward. She shouldn't have even brought it up.

Briar sensed her curiosity, but felt his heart sink a little as she finished up dressing the wound without another word, her breath tickling him once more as she gave a heavy sigh.

"Well, that's that. Give it 'til the end of tomorrow and it should be mostly healed." She said, and he turned around to find her arm outstretched with his shirt in her fist. He took it, holding the material close to him and looking up to her again. She was already turned away, her deep blue ponytail bobbing with her movements as she fussed around for her sleeping bag. Something tugged at him relentlessly, and he rested his hands and shirt in his lap.

"Willow, I-!" He began to say, but Canella's voice cut him off.

"We're ba-ack! Did we miss anything?" She joked, but upon further observation she found the two standing a few feet apart, looking to her. Briar's shirt was still off, and Willow had her sleeping bag in hand.

"Nope. Not a thing." Willow replied, returning to her task at hand and turning her back to all of them. Canella and Verne exchanged yet another look before Canella made her way over to Briar.

"Wow, Willow, you did a good job wrapping this up." She commented as Briar threw the shirt over his head and began slipping it down.

"I should be able to, considering how many times I had to wrap up Verne during one of his 'chemist days'." She joked.

"Hey! Those were the best days of the week and you _know_ it!" Verne argued.

"I swear, you've had enough chemical burns on your body to erode the entire village." Willow declared.

"Even if that were true, which it isn't, I doubt it would erode even a square foot of space." The chemist proclaimed with a rather annoyed tone, though they could tell by his body language that he wasn't mad.

"Well, regardless, I'm sure Briar isn't complaining." Canella said. At this, he felt the heat rushing to his face again.

"Um, no. I'm not. Thanks, Willow." He said, giving a short nod. Willow flashed a smile at him over her shoulder, and it was with that that the group settled in for the evening, the question of where they would end up tomorrow at the forefront of everyone's mind.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The Snack Pack and Peppy were huddled around the small troll listening intently to what she had to say. Rosemary stood behind her, and Mira stood across the room next to Branch's bedside.

"So, they found a _portal_?" DJ repeated.

"To another _dimension_?" Biggie exclaimed, clutching Mr. Dinkles closer.

"Well, I wouldn't say another dimension, but they're definitely not anywhere near Troll Village anymore."

Jules was quite shy at relaying the information to them, but to her relief they asked no further questions. Peppy shook his head and sighed.

"To think they've made it this far in just a couple of days…..it's quite remarkable." He said.

"Well, if there's one thing I know, Your Majesty, it's that Willow's not going to give up. I think that's really all that's gotten us to where we're at. She's always been so strong-willed."

Rosemary looked at her daughter in surprise. She hadn't heard the young troll say so many consecutive words in years. King Peppy smiled warmly at the young teen.

"Indeed, Miss Jules. Indeed, she is." He said. However, the moment of warmth was short-lived as Mira turned to him.

"Your Highness, he's getting worse." She declared in worry, and everyone watched in silent horror as Branch continued to gray even more, releasing a pained sigh. He looked sickly, and it was with this that everyone gasped and whispered to themselves. DJ took a step out of the room, looking out into the wilderness beyond through the window nearby.

"Princess, wherever you're at, you better hurry girl!" She said inadvertently into the night. Hoping that her words carried in some way to where they needed to go.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 **Phew! This was one of the longer chapters I've written for this story! I'm starting to get into the final stages, so my mind is going over every possible thing in my head that I need to cover so everything makes sense by the final chapter.**

 **As always, thank you for encouragement and be sure to check out my fanart! I've added a few since the last time I mentioned it, and always update it periodically. The search instructions are on my profile, if you so wish to peruse.**

 **I hope to have the next chapter and another one-shot up within the next day or two, so stay tuned!**

 **Other than that, I hope to see you all in the next installment! Take care!**

 **Sincerely,**

 **Heartforhumanity845**


	12. Chapter 12

Trudging through blistering winds and falling snow, the group had been spending most of the morning trying to stay as huddled as possible while still being effective in their movement north. The forest had ended for them a few hours ago, and had given way to breathtaking mountains and valleys that stood so tall, the clouds brushed against their peaks. Though they were in completely unknown territory, the four trolls carried on as if they knew where to go.

Willow and Briar were slightly ahead of Canella and Verne, though the two pairs constantly shouted back and forth to one another over the high winds in regards to the direction they were going.

"We're doing fine! Just a little bit longer!" Willow called.

"Face it, Will. It's way too cold out here! We have to find shelter!" Verne shouted back, the plume of his fiery red hair whipping about relentlessly in the icy winds.

"There!" Canella cried, pointing off to their left. There they observed the mouth of a cave, large enough to crawl into but small enough to keep most of the winds out. With reluctance, Willow followed her friends up the slope and into the cave, huffing heavily as her breath gave off clouds of white into the frigid air.

"I thought winter didn't start for another two months." Canella chided sarcastically, throwing herself down on a nearby rock that was at perfect height for sitting.

"Not this far north. Winter can start as early as September or August in these parts." Briar explained, rubbing his hands together to generate heat and holding them close to his chest.

"So, you're familiar with this area?" Willow asked.

"Somewhat. My village is further east of here, judging by the terrain and landscape. My father used to take me on hunting trips through the mountains in the early fall, and we'd venture west sometimes." He explained. Verne had yet to speak a word, searching for anything and everything to keep warm.

"All I know is, there is no way I'm going back out in that until it calms down." Canella declared.

"That could take hours. The mountains are relentless in winter." Briar said. Willow groaned, kicking at a pebble nearby.

"Great, now we're wasting even _more_ time." She grumbled, and all three trolls looked at her in surprise. She noticed, and threw her arms out dramatically.

"What?" She hissed.

"Will, is there something wrong?" Verne asked.

"Gee, what gave you the _first_ clue?" She replied sarcastically, crossing her arms tightly and turning around to face the opening of the cave. Briar observed her jiggle her leg a little, and as he watched closer he realized she was shaking all over.

"Willow….are you cold?" He asked.

"Of course not. I'm fine." She snapped over her shoulder, still standing awfully rigid with her back turned to them. Nobody moved for a moment.

How could they _still_ not be anywhere close? Time was ticking away and here they were, sitting out like a band of weaklings. Why hadn't they left sooner? Why hadn't they just walked all night like she suggested?

 _Of course nobody is in a rush but me._ _ **They**_ _don't have a parent who's dying._ She hissed bitterly in her mind, scrunching her face up in frustration. The Princess was not known for her negativity, but when the mood hit her just right, she was downright ruthless. And unfortunately, now had been one of those times.

However, her heartrate instantly picked up as she felt the weight of something drape over her shoulders and down her back. A pair of warm hands gripped at her shoulders gently afterwards. In alarm, her eyes snapped back to meet a pair of warm brown eyes, and it was with this that she realized that Briar had crossed the room and taken his cloak off to put on her. He was now only dressed in his cotton tunic and brown pants, and he gave her a tight smile.

"Briar…" She began to protest, but he held up both hands to silence her.

"Keep it. I don't need it while we're in here." He said. The glow of a fire had erupted from behind him. Verne knelt next to its licking flames and blew on it to encourage its growth, Canella watching him silently.

The firelight had cast a sort of halo along Briar's deep red locks and along the contours of the side of his face as the two stared at one another for a long moment. Willow lowered her gaze sheepishly and pulled the cloak tighter around herself.

"Sorry….I didn't mean to snap at you guys just now." She mumbled, and was once again taken aback as she eyed his hand extend to her, palm facing upwards.

"Happens to the best of us." He replied. She looked up at him again, and she watched his expression soften and he smiled wider. "Now, come on. Get closer to the fire."

She silently obeyed, taking a seat across from Verne and Canella as the two fed the fire quietly. Once she had rested in her spot, she watched Briar sit down next to her out of the corner of her eye.

"So, how goes it, grumpy?" Verne joked, and Willow gave him a hard but playful look, making him chuckle.

"Willow, I know you're stressed about finding your mom. But look at it this way. We've gotten this far in a few days, I won't be surprised if the Queen is back with us by this time tomorrow." Canella said, and Willow could only stare at her in disbelief. Canella was almost _never_ encouraging, so to hear her voice her confidence in their progress was a breath of fresh air.

"Yeah I know, but still…..I shouldn't have acted that way." She said.

"No harm, no fowl, Will. I for one find it reassuring when you are frustrated." Verne explained. This made the princess cock a brow in confusion.

"Oh?" She asked.

"Yeah. It reminds me that even the best of us can get frazzled, and you are definitely the best of us, Will." He said warmly. Willow blushed at that slightly.

"Oh stop." She said.

"Can't argue with the truth." Briar conferred, making Willow look at him once more. He smiled once again with that sweet look that made something in Willow's heart pang with a strength she didn't recognize, and she tore her gaze away again before she stared too long.

"Well, all I know is is that we need to find Mom, or else this will all be for nothing." She said.

"And we _will_. Everything will work out, Willow. Trust in that." Canella said, reaching a hand out to pat her arm.

"Okay, once was astounding, but now _twice_ you've been uplifting? Nell, do you have a fever?" Willow joked in fake surprise. This made her laugh.

"No, Willow." She replied, and the two girls smiled at one another before Verne clapped his hands together.

"Alright, so once the storm calms down, what's our next course of action?" He asked. Willow turned to Briar.

"You said you knew these parts a little." She said.

"Only sparingly." He corrected.

"It doesn't matter. You said that trolls broke off from King Rowan's group and started villages all their own, right?" She asked.

"…..right." He hesitated, for he could tell where this conversation was headed.

"Is there any possible way there would be one nearby?" She asked.

"Unless the storm dies down, there's no possible way of getting an accurate look around, so I'm not sure." He replied. Willow nodded.

"Okay well if there is, chances are that they've had run-ins with purebloods just as your village has. Knowing that, we could possibly ask them about where to go or if the surrounding area has any hotspots for purebloods." She hypothesized.

"And what if there isn't?" Briar suggested.

"Then we find the next village and ask there. _Some_ body has to know _some_ thing about them around these parts. This is the only possible way they could have gone to get back to the homeland." Willow declared. Everyone nodded in agreement at that. Another pause, then someone else spoke.

"Alright, well since we're going to be waiting on the storm to pass, _I'm_ going to take a nap." Canella said, stretching herself out before gently laying down on her side on the cold, hard floor of the cave.

"I think I might catch a few winks too if you don't mind, Will." Verne said. Willow nodded, and it was with that that the chemist laid down next to Canella.

"We should get some rest too. Who knows when the next opportunity will be." Briar agreed. It was with this that she watched him get up and lay down behind her, grabbing their bags and fluffing them up to use as pillows. He curled up slightly and settled in. Willow frowned, noticing him shiver a bit.

Slowly, she dared herself to lay down next to him, dragging the coat up and over them both and allowing it to settle over top. This made Briar look to her in alarm.

"Willow, I told you I don't need -!" He began, but she shushed him and pressed a finger to his lips.

"You need it just as much as I do. Don't argue." She whispered. She watched his face flush completely, and she smiled. Turning around, she settled into her spot as well and closed her eyes.

By this time tomorrow, she hoped her mother would be in her arms. She had the overwhelming feeling that they were close….so close, she practically could see her.

A harrowing thought came to her mind. What would she look like? What would _she_ think of the way Willow had turned out? What if she didn't even recognize her?

 _No, that's ridiculous._ She thought. Surely, her own mother would recognize her, even after ten years…right?

A particular gust of wind found its way to her exposed skin, and with a shiver she curled into herself tighter.

It was then her turn to blush heavily as she felt Briar shift closer to her, his hands gently and cautiously slipping around her waist and pulling her flush against him. She felt herself lose all composure mentally at the feeling of his strong, warm chest pressed against her back.

"B-Briar….." She exclaimed in a hush, but he shushed her.

"You need it as much as I do. Don't argue." He parroted her words flawlessly, and she could just smile and shake her head as he gave her a lazy half-smile in triumph. It was then that she submitted, relaxing completely in his arms.

The wind continued to whistle outside, hissing and howling endlessly through the afternoon.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

When Willow stirred again, it was almost pitch black in the cave, save for the dying fire's last remnants of light. She had inhaled sharply, her eyelids opening slowly as she fought to regain where she was at. It was with the tickling sensation of breath against the top of her head that sent her memory reeling back.

Somewhere along the course of sleeping, Willow had managed to flip completely and now had her face nestled into the crook of Briar's neck, his arms still wrapped around her tightly. Her hand rested on the rise and fall of his chest, his heartbeat strong underneath her fingertips. The blush that crept up to her face was massive, and she found herself scrambling in her head for a way to move without waking him or the other two up. However, all plans of _that_ being successful flew straight out the window as a voice perked up.

"Comfortable?" Willow gasped in surprise, turning her head back to eye Canella sitting there at the fire, looking at them both with a smirk on her face. Willow narrowed her eyes for a moment.

"What's it to _you_?" She asked, and with a secret reluctance she moved away from Briar, carefully removing herself from underneath his coat and giving her arms a rub at the sudden contact with the cold air.

"Nothing. I just never thought I'd live to see the day." She said. Willow could only look at her incredulously, which made the brown troll laugh quietly.

"What day?" She snapped back.

"The day that I would see you let a guy who isn't your dad or Verne get anywhere near you without complaint or threatening to break his arm." She said jokingly.

"Nell, we don't have time for this right now." She argued, trying to hide her obvious blush. The troll jerked her head in the direction of the opening to the cave.

"Snow's still going strong. The way I see it, we won't head out of here until morning." She said.

"Well, once we do, we really need to pick up the pace again. We've wasted enough time already." Willow reminded her, picking up a twig and jabbing at the embers of the fire.

"Relax, girl. We've got this." Canella assured her. A long pause went between them before Canella smirked again.

"So, how does he feel?" She said. Willow's eyes flew open in shock at this.

"Canella!" She scolded softly.

"Just curious. I _know_ you have an opinion. Come on, tell me. It's just us girls awake right now." She said, crossing her legs expectantly. Willow sighed.

"He feels…warm. And inviting. Like a hug after a rough day." At the realization of what she just said, she quickly looked away and frowned. "I….I don't know why I'm thinking this way…..there's too much to worry about right now." At this, Canella smiled genuinely.

"You're only 19 once, Will." She said.

"What are you trying to say?" Willow snapped back.

"What I'm _saying_ is, is that….you're a pretty girl. He's a decent looking guy…...is it so bad to be attracted to someone?" Canella asked, giving a shrug to emphasize the passive nature she had about such things.

"Nell, you _know_ how I feel about this stuff…." Willow pleaded, biting at her lip in embarrassment and a blush rising to her face. "I can't do this right now….I just can't."

"Look, I know you've been hurt in the past. I have been too. But…" Canella glanced at Verne for a moment, watching his chest rise and fall peacefully. "…..I'd like to think that when we have an immeasurable chemistry with someone, that it's meant to be." She got up and sat down next to Willow. "And you and Briar? You guys have chemistry."

"Yeah, right. He just feels sorry for me." Willow replied bitterly, hugging her knees to her chest and staring into the fire.

"Maybe he does, but who are you to say that that sympathy is platonic in nature?" Canella pointed out. Willow could only shrug at this. This side of her friend was something she had only seen a handful of times, and when she got going on it, it was hard to argue against her logic.

"I just want my mom and dad back together again…" Willow mumbled, feeling the sting of her tears accumulating. Canella hugged her, and Willow took it willingly.

"I'm not saying forget why you're out here. What I _am_ saying is that your mother doesn't have to be the only thing you walk away with from this." She said. Willow looked up at her friend with wide eyes, at which the copper brown troll gave one last sweet smile before getting up and returning to her 'bed' on the floor.

Willow stared into the flickering flames of the fire. The air had become thick with its smoke and her hair was absorbing every bit of its smell. Her toes and knees felt the particular burn of its heat, as they were the closest things to its kindled warmth.

Pushing away the thoughts that threatened to come up, she stared out into the open world beyond the cave, watching the individual snowflakes ride the wind wildly on their journey to the ground. In a trance, she found herself standing at the opening and she blinked.

Taking a few steps out, she was immediately pierced ruthlessly by the wind and she gasped, clutching herself tighter as she peered into the darkness. She felt her hair tickle her face and whip about wildly, and she honed in everything she had on looking out over the long stretch of the valley.

There, on the very edge of what was visible, she spotted a few flickering lights, lanterns most possibly, accompanying a few dark shapes that looked to be houses. She smiled.

"Willow?"

She jumped at the voice yelling for her, and she looked back to find Briar standing there, his cloak wrapped around him and his eyes steady on her.

"What are you doing out here?" He yelled over the winds.

"I found our next hit spot!" She yelled back, pointing to the cluster of amber lights across the valley. Briar looked for a split second, squinting his eyes before shaking his head.

"We'll worry about that in the morning. Come back inside." He declared, and she followed him with haste back into the calm of their shelter.

"Sorry if I woke you, I just wanted to see if I could catch anything so we're not walking around aimlessly tomorrow." She said. He shook his head.

"No worries." He said, starting to return to his spot on the floor. When he didn't hear her behind him, he stopped and turned to look at her.

"Aren't you coming?" He said. Willow's posture stiffened at this, and she gulped.

"Um…I think I'll just sleep in front of the fire, thanks." She said, shuffling over to where she had previously been sitting and taking it promptly. She hoped with all of her might that it was the end of it, but with the shuffle of movement behind her and a weight setting down next to her, her hopes were crushed.

"Hey, is everything okay?" He asked. She hated how concerned he sounded.

"Yeah, everything's fine. Just…can we please go to sleep? We have a long day tomorrow." She said, inching herself away ever so slightly.

"Willow…." Briar began, and Willow only hugged herself closer and refused to look at him.

"Briar, seriously…just go to sleep." She threatened, her voice shaky but pointed.

"Not until you tell me what's wrong." He replied, his eyebrows furrowing in frustration at her closed-off attitude. However, what she snapped at him next surprised him.

"I don't want your pity, okay?" She mumbled. "I don't want any part of it. My mom is out there somewhere and I need to find her. I don't _need_ _ **any**_ of….. **this** right now. Got it?" She said, emphasizing every other word dramatically, like if she didn't that the point would not be made.

To her relief, silence was her immediate answer.

 _Please just drop it, please just drop it….._

The pressure of a finger against her chin startled her, and biting back her next retort she begrudgingly allowed him to turn her face towards him, and what she saw made her lose all forms of anger or frustration. He looked at her in a way that she never thought she would see anyone look at her, and she clenched a fist against her leg to keep from completely falling to pieces right then and there.

"I don't pity you. You're perhaps the last troll I would _ever_ pity for even a second." He informed her. His tone was stern but gentle, and he continued. "You are unlike anyone I've ever met, and I'm….I'm sorry if what I did earlier was too pushy….I'm sorry if it made you uncomfortable. But please….don't ever think I _pity_ you. Because if anything…..I respect you. As a fellow troll, as a Princess…as a friend." He said, though she heard him choke over his words a bit on that last part. She could just stare at him, and he quickly turned away, starting to get up.

"I…I'll leave you to it." He said, and she almost reached out to grab for him, but something within her held her back, that old fear that constantly nipped at her soul whenever she got close to someone.

Her love life was something she did not like to discuss with just anyone, and even with Canella earlier it had been hard. Like any young girl, she had had her share of crushes over the years. But something always happened to where she was just left as a sobbing heap in her bed late at night, wondering why she even bothered. Not even her father had known the extent of her heartache, and she rarely ever brought it up. In her mind, it was a useless cause.

The way Briar had looked at her…

 _Go on, girl. Give it a shot._

"No." She whispered, shaking her head and burying her face in her hands. Now was not the time.

She had to bring her mother home. That was the first and only thing that warranted her attention right now. This had to wait.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The following morning had proved to be encouraging to all of them as they could see the puffy clouds overhead when they stepped out into the quiet calm of the sunrise. It was as if the storm had never even happened.

Snow that was knee-deep glittered across every hill and dip in the land as far as the eye could see. It was blinding but beautiful, and it was with this sight that the four trolls began their journey across the great valley.

Willow had informed Canella and Verne of the lights she had seen last night, and the two had given their agreement to the direction. However, upon giving the landscape a closer look, Verne frowned.

"Um, Will? I don't see anything out here but snow." He said.

"I'm telling you, there were houses lit with lanterns across the way over there. It _has_ to be a village." She said, and he sighed.

"Okay…" He mumbled, and they walked on.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

They had reached the edge of the small civilization by early afternoon, and it was with amazement that the group realized that Willow had not been lying.

Straw/mud huts billowed smoke into the frigid air and lanterns hung at every corner. As they entered the main street of the small village, Briar took a few bigger steps to get in front of Willow.

"Stay close. We don't know how these trolls will be with visitors." He informed them, and Willow gave him an understanding nod as they proceeded into the main strip.

A few trolls eyed them suspiciously as they made their way through. A smithee, amidst hammering a rod of hot metal atop his anvil, sniffled and wiped his nose on his sleeve, ogling them with one glassy eye. A few female trolls carried children in slings across their backs, their arms full of baskets with radishes and turnips.

"Wow, tough crowd." Verne mumbled through the side of his mouth as a rather hairy looking troll glared in their direction, hacking away at what looked to be a carcass of some sort. They chose not to investigate further to figure out what it had been previously.

Just then, a young troll ran across their path with a doll held up in the air, a small troll chasing after him.

"Come on, Bobby! Give it back!" She whined. The boy just laughed, taunting the little girl by waving the doll at her and sticking out his tongue.

"Hey!" Willow yelled, starting over for the two children. Both immediately froze as Willow stopped a few feet from them, holding out her hand.

"I'll take that, thank you." She said, and with an almost ambitious movement, the boy threw the doll into the snow and took off. She knelt down, picking it up gingerly and holding it out for the very shy little girl, who was now hiding behind her scarf around her neck.

"Here you go." She said softly, and the little girl eyed her for a moment. Then, as if afraid that she would lunge for her, she inched forward and snatched the doll from her hand, running off in a flash while giving a little giggle of excitement. Everyone else observed this closely, including the village goers. Willow smiled and got back up to her feet, walking back over to the three trolls who stood with their mouths slightly agape.

"You know that _anything_ could have happened just then, right?" Canella criticized her friend's actions as they took to walking again.

"Coulda, shoulda, woulda, Nell." Willow said back with a smile on her face. The brown troll rolled her eyes and smirked.

"So who do you think we should ask about the purebloods?" Verne said, trying to get his friends back on task.

"I'm just gonna take a stab in the dark and say whoever lives in… _that._ " Briar said, and the others followed his gaze to rest eyes on a particular hut that was set a little further away from the rest of the village and was larger in scale. Red bricks lined the walls, and two chimneys puffed smoke out either side from the snow-covered roof.

"Alright, let's go…." Willow declared reluctantly, not knowing what to expect out of whoever inhabited the nicer hut.

Upon reaching the door, the smell of cooking meat was prominent and a few chickens clucked in a pen off to the side of the hut. Willow took the liberty to knock on the solid wood door, and a rather scraggily-looking female troll answered, her gray strands tied haphazardly into a bun atop her head.

"Who goes there?" She asked hoarsely, sounding as if she had the nastiest cold.

"We're looking for the leader of your village. It's urgent." Willow said.

"Chief Blaire sees no one, not even on 'urgent' business. Move along." She said, beginning to shut the door when a voice rung out from deeper inside.

"Lois? Who's at the door?" A booming male voice called.

"Just some strangers, Master. Nobody of importance." She called back, shooting them a glare as if it was their fault the Chief had decided to become curious.

"Strangers? Let them in. I must see these 'strangers'." He ordered, and Lois rolled her eyes. With reluctance she yanked the door open, gesturing crudely for them to enter. She eyed them as they walked in, and hobbled her way over to Willow.

"You may wait here until the Master comes to you." She barked viciously, hobbling away before any of them could answer her. It was now that the group decided to take a look around.

Animal skins of all kinds lined the floor, straw and grass littered amongst it to create a barrier between them and the ice-cold floor. A roaring fire was going in the fireplace, and furniture carved from heavy wood sat in the center of the room in a conference-like fashion.

The group heard the Chief before they saw him. Big, booming footsteps rumbled the floor until he inevitable turned the corner. He had every likes of a Chief, tall and burly in build with a beard the length of his entire torso. Dark green was the color of his locks, and his skin was a dark blue that was almost black in nature. However, his light orange eyes were of great contrast to the rest of him, and it was with these eyes that he sized them up in a judgmental manner.

"Who are you, and why do you call after me?" He asked demandingly. Willow swallowed, taking a few steps forward.

"My name is Princess Willow. I am from Troll Village and these are my companions, Briar, Canella, and Verne. We were hoping we could speak with you over the landscape surrounding this area." She said, and as she spoke the Chief had moved closer to them, circling around them like a lion preparing his prey.

"Princess, you say?" He repeated. She bobbed her head up and down.

"Yes. Daughter of King Branch and Queen Poppy." She stated regally, giving him a curtsy. He waved it away, crossing the room and taking a seat in the largest chair of the conference room.

"I see….so you _are_ of the great King Rowan's blood, correct?" He asked skeptically.

"Yes, sir. We all are." She said, gesturing to her friends once more before the Chief gave an audible sigh.

"You _say_ that you are, but how can I possibly know for certain?" He questioned. This made her heartrate quicken and her eyes exchange a nervous glance between her friends. After a few moments, Chief Blair shook his head.

"I cannot help you if I cannot know for certain. Please, see yourself out." He demanded, waving them away.

"But sir…" Willow began, but the abrupt standing and moving of the Chief until he was right in front of her startled her.

"Leave. My. Home." He said on a voice that made her blood run cold. Just as they were making for the door, a pitter-patter of footsteps echoed in the hallway, and in a flash, the little girl from earlier was in their sights.

"Daddy, you'll never guess what—hey! I know you!" She exclaimed excitedly, bouncing over to Willow and tugging at the hem of her dress.

"Lily, what are you on about? How could you _possibly_ know these strangers?" Chief Blaire questioned his daughter condescendingly.

"She helped me get my doll back, Daddy! She scared off Bobby and gave Miss Tink back to me!" The little girl bubbled excitedly, hugging onto Willow's leg with a strength that was quite surprising for such a tiny troll. She gasped, looking up at the Princess again.

"Can you stay for dinner? We're having a feast tonight in honor of-!" She babbled, but theChief quickly reached for her shoulder.

"Alright, alright, Lily, that's enough. Off to your room now and wait for your mother to get home." He said, and the little girl waved goodbye to Willow before humming to herself whilst leaving. The Chief chuckled to himself, but the moment she rounded the corner his expression hardened considerably, doing another once-over of the Princess.

"It seems that I may have been too quick to judge, Your Highness. My apologies. Please, come sit down." He said in a very polite fashion, gesturing to the other chairs in the room. Willow blinked a few times.

"I'm sorry but….what changed your mind, sir?" She asked.

"No troll of the accursed Birch's blood would dare show such kindness to a child." He informed her as they sat down. "Therefore, I must take your word for being of the royal bloodline. And for your friend's affiliation as well."

"Thank you, sir. We won't bother you long." She reassured him. He chuckled.

"Nonsense. You are here for a bit of advice, and I am happy to be of service." He said with a smile. Willow relaxed after this point, along with the rest of the group.

Lois reappeared with a platter stuffed with fruits, wine, and chicken, setting it down upon the table between the two parties. The Chief immediately ripped off the leg of the chicken, taking a bite and looking to them.

"Refreshments?" He asked. Willow shook her head and they waited silently for the Chief to finish eating the leg. Once he had, he released a satisfied sigh and looked to them once more.

"Now, what is it you ask of me?"

"Well, you see, we are in search of someone desperately, and we need to know if you have had any sort of interactions with purebloods lately." Willow began. The Chief raised a brow in curiosity.

"I see. And who is it that you are seeking?" He asked.

"Someone we desperately need back…..my mother, actually." Willow informed him, her voice softening considerably at the second half of her statement. The Chief's face fell slightly.

"A Queen? I see. Tell me, Princess, is it your mother or your father who is of royal blood?" He asked.

"She is…..my father married into it." Willow answered. Chief Blair nodded.

"So, you are a Princess in search of your mother the Queen, and you suspect that purebloods have taken her?" He said. She slowly nodded. He grunted in satisfaction, leaning on his knee to get slightly closer to her.

"Then I am happy to inform you that I _can_ help you with your search, provided the kidnapping has happened within a reasonable amount of time. How long has she been missing?" He asked. Willow's heart sunk and she frowned. Her eyes lowered to the floor in shame as she opened her mouth to answer.

"…..ten years, sir." She mumbled quietly, and the Chief's eyes flew open in surprise.

"Ten _years_? And how on earth are you just coming to seek her back, dear girl?" He asked, confusion etched across his face as he cried out. At this, Willow felt her heart tighten again until the weight of Briar's hand on her shoulder made her look up gratefully at him. He smiled, and turned to the Chief.

"It's her father, sir. You see, he has lost his True Colors pining for her, and we fear if we don't find the Queen soon…..he will not survive the ordeal." He said, and Willow watched him in complete surprise at his regal tone and vocabulary. The Chief softened completely at this, and he gave another sigh.

"I see. And who might you be, lad?" He asked.

"Briar, sir. I am from the village in the mountains east of here, and I am accompanying these three on their journey in search of the Queen." He informed the Chief. The regal leader nodded in response.

"But of course. Trolls from the main village often need protection in this harsh climate, especially with purebloods crawling around anywhere and everywhere." He said.

"So, there _are_ purebloods around here?" Willow piped up.

"Yes, but sparingly, thank heavens. They usually only pass through on their way back to homeland, but to try and pinpoint a visitation to something as distant as ten _years….._ " He clicked his tongue in thought, shaking his head.

"Are there any possible hideouts that we could search? Any place where the purebloods meet within the mountains?" Willow asked. He lowered his head in thought.

"Hmmmmmm, now that you _mention_ it….I can think of a particular place. But I can't guarantee that there will be anything there to seek." He said.

"It doesn't matter. We'll take anything we can get at this point." Willow replied urgently, her demeanor brightening at the Chief's answer.

"Alright, well back when purebloods had really been an issue for us, we once sought them so far that we came across a meeting point of theirs, set exactly fifteen miles north of where we are now. It is quite extensive in size, and when we had initially discovered it, there was signs of trolls living within the space. However, when we returned to vanquish them the following day, we found that they had taken everything and disappeared, leaving the cave completely deserted."

"And how do we get to this place?" Willow asked.

"Well, you will have to take a hard path upwards along this nearest peak. There will be a rope bridge there to bring your across to the next peak, and once you have scaled upwards a bit, you will find it. It is perhaps the highest altitude cave in these parts. Quite the perfect place for purebloods to gather and create mischief." He said. At this, the Princess could not contain herself any longer and she bounded to her feet.

"Thank you, sir. Thank you so much!" She gushed, shaking his hand excitedly. The Chief was taken aback by her sudden movements, and she looked to her friends.

"Come on, guys. We don't have a moment to lose!" She exclaimed.

"Ah, Princess!" The Chief called, making her hesitate for a moment.

"Please be cautious in your travels. Unlike those of us who share in Rowan's blood, those who are of the accursed Birch's blood are not so quick to forgive. Tread your path lightly." He warned. Willow nodded.

"Yes, sir." He said, and with that the four trolls had vacated the hut and were making a beeline for the nearest peak of a mountain, which was about three miles to their right and was visible.

"So, we should make it to the peak by evening time." Willow assumed.

"Yeah, but how long do you think it will take to climb that thing? I don't have any gear for it." Verne said.

"We'll just have to do it as nature intended. With our hands and feet." Willow said.

Verne and Canella looked to one another, concern filling their faces.

Hours passed and just as the Princess has predicted, they reached the foot of the mountain at about six o' clock, and she wasted no time in beginning her walk up. A pathway was conveniently carved along the mountain's side, which made it easier for them to access its height.

Up and up they went, the cold never seeming to bother them as their heart rates picked up from the strain of activity. To pass the time, they began shooting questions back and forth.

"Okay, okay, _smarty pants,_ so what _is_ your favorite memory?" Willow called back to Verne, who was about ten feet behind her.

"I'd have to say when Canella made that cake and put too much baking soda in it, causing it to explode in the oven." He said, laughing like a fool as he said so. Canella shot him a glare and he waved it away with a flick of his wrist.

"Well _mine_ was seeing you burn a hole in the ceiling with one of your 'experiments'." She shot back, and Verne snorted in response.

"Yeah, that was pretty crazy. I knew I shouldn't have put so much acid in a solution that was known for bubbling up." He said. The two shared a laugh, then Verne turned to Willow.

"What about you, Will? What's _your_ favorite memory?" He asked. The Princess thought about it for a moment, her eyes looking off into the distance. She looked down to her feet for a long moment, then turned to them.

"The night my mother disappeared." She replied. Their shoulders slacked in exasperation.

"Uh, why?" Canella asked. Briar also gave a questioning look.

"Because…..it was the last time we were together….in that marsh…..taking about nonsense." She said, giving a small chuckle as she remembered what exactly they had been talking about. "It was the last time I saw my dad truly happy…."

"Sheesh, way to lighten the mood there, Will." Verne sarcastically joked.

"Sorry, guys. I can't help it." She tried to defend herself, giving a sheepish look to all three of them.

"Oh, leave her alone." Briar said.

"Oh? And what's _your_ favorite memory, Mr. Tall, Dark, and Brooding?" Canella pried. Briar paused for a moment, looking to Willow before answering.

"When I was able to take down a specimen on one of my father and I's hunting trips. It was my first kill ever…..he looked so proud that day…" He said.

"Wow, you two are made for each other more than I thought." Verne joked, and the two blushed deeply before Willow gave a seething comeback.

"Just like you and Nell." She replied sweetly, and Canella snorted loudly at the look of pure horror on Verne's face.

"Hey, that's….that's, um…." He said, scrambling over his words but it only made the two girls giggle even more.

"Alright guys, come on. Let's not make this into a competition." Briar said.

"Way ahead of ya!" Willow conferred, sprinting on ahead until the very end of the path, tilting her head up at the obstacle above. The other three looked on it with worry.

"Looks like this is where the easy part ends." Willow said, and she quickly pulled her backpack from her back and cast it into the snow.

"Willow, what are you-?" Briar began, but Willow whipped her head around a few times and in a flash, her hair extended to the nearest edge and she hoisted herself up with ease. His eyes were as wide as saucers. Once landing, the Princess extended her locks once more and snatched up her pack, looking down on them.

"Well come on!" She called down to them. Canella was next, and she followed the Princess' lead. Soon, she joined her at the top of the cliff and she turned to extend her hair down to Verne, who took it like a climbing rope.

"What are you waiting on, Briar?" Willow called.

"Um….could you-?" He said, and suddenly she understood. Just as Canella did, she stretched her hair down to him, and he gave a yelp of surprise as he was yanked upwards at an alarming speed, landing on the cold, hard ground with a grunt. He quickly got himself to his feet and followed the other three.

"So, why didn't _you_ use your hair?" Willow asked.

"Um….I don't believe in using it." He said quietly, and at this the Princess laughed.

"You and Verne are going to get along just fine." She joked, and it was with this that he felt a hand slap onto his shoulder.

"Up high, brother! It's unconventional anyways!" Verne said happily, and Briar returned his extended palm just to appease him.

"Unconventional until you _need_ it. And you won't have either of us around to help you." Willow retorted.

"Psssshh, whatever. You guys do you, and we'll do us." Verne replied with confidence, and he received an eyeroll from her in response.

The four carried on for a while, the sun making its trek across the great blue sky and was beginning to fade as they came to a split along the walk. One continued onwards and upwards to the peak, and the other started to dip downward. Willow made no effort in making a decision, peeling off to the left and continuing to walk upwards.

Beyond the bend was a series of jagged rocks jutting out at all lengths and sizes, the peak just beyond its stretches. In no time, all four were pulling themselves up little by little, with a slip of footing here and there to keep them on their toes.

"Man, these rocks are slippery." Briar commented, gripping particularly hard on a surface he was losing his composure on.

"Yes, but we're almost there. See?" Willow replied, pointing about ten feet above their head. Sure enough, the rocks seemed to end abruptly, and beyond it they couldn't see.

Huffing and grunting, Willow hoisted herself up onto the ledge in one final lunge, looking down at them and calling out.

"Just over here!" She yelled, sprinting along as her friends struggled to keep up.

Rounding the corner, Willow's excited smile quickly fell to absolute despair as she saw no rope bridge leading across to the second peak. The others caught up with her and observed the scene as well. Complete loss and confusion littered their faces and there was a long pause before anyone spoke.

"How is that possible?" Briar questioned.

"I don't know…..maybe we made a mistake somewhere back there…" Willow suggested, looking back to the way of which they came. However, not everyone was so passive about this change in development, and it was long before that troll made herself known.

"The _mistake_ was choosing to listen to that Chief." Canella chided angrily. This made Willow turn and face her, her expression surprised.

"How could you say that?" She asked.

"Very easily, Willow. I can't _believe_ you fell for it! And dragged us all the way up here along with you!" She said, her voice starting to raise in volume.

"What are you saying?" Willow asked slowly, trying to process what was happening with her friend. Canella took on a defensive stance, her eyebrows knitting together on her forehead.

"What _you_ can't seem to get through your thick head!" Canella yelled. "We've been on this wild goose chase for three days now and so far, we've turned up nothing! You keep trusting every troll you meet, but did you ever stop to think for one second that maybe your mother _can't_ be found?" This ignited a fury within Willow, and her fists clenched as she ground her teeth for a moment.

"No, I haven't. Because I can't afford to think that way." She replied.

"Well, you need to, because one of us going to get killed before you figure it out!" Canella shouted. "Why did you even ask us to come along if _this_ is all you were going to do?"

"Because I trust you and you're my friends!" Willow hollered.

"Trust isn't going to save us from purebloods, Willow! They've already attacked us twice, and they'll do it again as long as we keep pursuing this. OPEN YOUR EYES." She looked wild, angry, completely lost in her own frustration. Willow could sense her underlying concern, but chose to brush it aside and defend herself.

"I know that. But we are so close to saving Mom and Dad….." Willow said, sounding desperate. Canella's face twisted in anger, having finally had enough.

"Trolls die, Willow! They die every day! Your father isn't exempt from that!" She bellowed. A swift, hard force met her nose, and she reeled back in surprise as she realized that Willow had punched her in the face. Hard. The glare in her eyes was murderous.

"How _dare_ you even **say** that about him." Willow growled, sounding almost completely unrecognizable. Verne and Briar stood off on the wayside, their faces wide in shock at what had just transpired. Canella pinched the bridge of her nose to stop the flow of blood, her eyes still reeling in bewilderment but quickly burning away into rage.

"Sooner or later you're going to have to face the truth, Willow. But I can promise you one thing. _I'm_ not going to be there when you do." She hissed, rising to her feet once more. "From now on, you're on your own."

She stormed off down the path at which she came, and Verne took a few steps forward.

"Will, you know I can't just leave her by herse-…" He said, but she cut him off.

"Go." She grumbled angrily. He blinked a few times with a hurt expression, and with his eyes turned towards the ground, he followed Canella quickly, leaving Briar to stare at Willow as she knelt in the snow.

Again, the wind howled atop the peak, breezing through them and into the endless abyss of the sky.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 **Aw snap! Having a bit of conflict now! Things are getting dramatic!**

 **Once again, thank you to everyone who reviewed and has continued to review throughout this entire story, it is much appreciated! I hope the pace is not too fast for any of you and I hope you enjoyed this chapter!**

 **Many thanks! Until next installment!**

 **Sincerely,**

 **Heartforhumanity845**


	13. Chapter 13

_The roof to the clubhouse had been decorated with hundreds of paper lanterns that Willow and Jules had slaved upon for hours prior, and it was with a fit of giggles that the two finally managed to set up the final few and climb down from their spots up high._

" _What's all this?"_

 _They turned suddenly to spy Canella looking around at their handiwork, a look of utter amazement in her eyes._

" _Today is a very special day." Willow informed her happily._

" _And what day would that be, Willow?" Canella asked, putting a sassy hand on her hip._

" _It's the Misfit anniversary, Nell! How could you forget?" Willow exclaimed._

" _Pretty sure that's next week, Will." She said._

" _Nonsense! You don't know this, Canella, but we celebrate it for an entire week! And today is opening day!" Verne called to her from his chalkboard, scribbling out the last of his formulas and giving a satisfied dot on the end._

 _Canella was the newest member of the Misfits, having heard of them through talk in the village and had expressed her complete insistence on being included. None of them argued it, and she was welcomed into the group with quite a bit of enthusiasm._

" _Oh, of course. How could I expect anything less?" Canella chided sarcastically, throwing out a smirk to give them assurance that she was joking._

" _Hush up and give me a hug." Willow said, and the two embraced._

" _Welcome to the group, Canella." She whispered._

" _Pleasure's all mine, Princess. I promise." Canella assured, and the two pulled away to give a warm smile, soon joining their other two friends in watching Verne's latest creation come to life._

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Willow."

The Princess did not hear him, silently rising to her feet and taking off downwards and back the way they came. She wordlessly traveled along until she was met with the same split in the path that they had encountered earlier, and this time she veered right. Briar struggled to keep up with her, even with his longer stride.

"Willow." He said again, this time a little louder. Again, no answer as she stormed through until coming upon the said rope bridge, wasting absolutely no time in climbing onto it and beginning her walk across. She cursed herself for not having found it sooner.

"Willow, stop." Briar yelled out to her as he watched her struggle to keep her balance. He stepped out far enough to grab her by the waist, pulling her back onto solid ground with her fighting it every step of the way.

"Let **go** of me!" She growled, thrashing around in his arms. However, she soon came to find that Briar's strength far exceeded her own, and he just held her tight as she continued to yell.

"Let me GO, Briar! You're only wasting more time!" She yelled, squirming relentlessly while he put almost no effort into holding her to him.

"Willow, will you stop, please?" He demanded.

"NO! Mom….she's…she's…" The waterworks came then, and Briar felt her small frame begin to relax and tension was replaced with heaving. Her knees gave out, and he gently brought her to the snowy ground once more, never loosening his embrace. He cupped a hand to the back of her head as she sobbed into his chest, clutching at his cloak with one free hand. He rocked back and forth ever so softly, running his other hand up and down her back. She was a mess.

"She's here….I can _feel_ it….." The princess managed to whisper through her tears, her eyes tightly squeezed shut.

"Shhhh sh sh, I know. I know you can." Briar hushed her, resting his cheek against the top of her head and closing his own eyes. He fought to ignore the flutter in his chest at having her body against his once more.

The length of time that they sat there in the freezing cold was unknown, but it felt like eternity. Finally, Willow braced herself to pull away and as she did, her glassy eyes lifted to meet Briar's. He gave her a sweet smile. He released the back of her head and brought both hands up to either side of her face, brushing away any remnants of remaining tears along her soft teal cheeks.

"I know you're absolutely hellbent on finding your mom. I don't blame you. But I'm not going to sit here and let you risk your own safety in doing so." He whispered firmly, pressing his forehead to hers. She grabbed at one of his wrists and released a shaky sigh, her entire body quivering from the cold. "Please be more considerate. It would be a shame for us to come all of this way just for you to fall off a bridge." There was a pause, then the young princess spoke.

"I hit my best friend." She mumbled, and Briar's eyes flew open at this to study her face. It had fallen to a frozen look of disbelief, her eyes turned towards the ground. He pursed his lips for a moment, trying to find the right words to say. But one lock with her pink orbs silenced any response he could squander. "I _hit_ her, Briar. I've never done _anything_ like that to them."

"This situation isn't anything you've ever done before either." He reminded her.

"I just…..I couldn't let her speak that idea into existence….my dad….he _has_ to live." She said, beginning to digress into crying again as she uttered the last half of her sentence. Briar instinctually pulled her close again. Willow hooked her arms around him and placed both hands firmly on his shoulder blades. She buried her face into his chest again, desperately trying to hold onto her composure that was tipping on the edge.

"My last conversation with him…..I yelled at him…told him that he didn't care about me….I said I would leave him alone. That I wouldn't be a bother anymore." She rambled, sniffling a few times before wrenching her face in pain as she whispered her next words. "Never _once_ did I tell him I love him."

Briar listened to the words spill out of her like a waterfall, silently taking in the agony of her last encounter with her dying father. The pain of words left unspoken was one he knew all too well, and he could feel his heart wrenching in his chest at the sound of her shrill sobs and cries.

"It's my fault he collapsed. It's my fault we're even here in the first place. If I hadn't been such a bad daughter…..none of this would have happened."

Briar was silent for a long time, having no idea what to do. In his own mind, he was never any good at comfort or providing a silver lining. He struggled to put himself at ease when distressed, so by default he assumed he couldn't do any better with someone else. So, he resorted to the only thing he _could_ do well, and that was hold her. It was simple and easy, but he was convinced that it is what she needed most as she spilled out everything for him to see.

He felt her begin to push away, and reluctantly, he let her. She looked up at him for a moment, flashing a watery smile before climbing to her feet and brushing herself off.

"Come on. We have to get across that bridge." She declared, starting to turn away.

"Aren't you going to go after Canella and Verne?" Briar called after her. The Princess paused, turning her head only slightly with a pained expression still on her face.

"They can take care of themselves. Besides, I doubt either of them are in any sort of mood to talk to me anyways." She replied bitterly, and before the young male troll could protest any further, he watched her hop onto the bridge once more. He quickly bounded up behind her, holding each side of the bridge tightly in his grasp to minimize the rocking. She jumped, looking back at him as he gave an insistent look.

Cautiously, they inched their way across the incredibly long walkway to the other peak of a mountain, and it wasn't long before Willow felt Briar right behind her, the heat from his body radiating against hers. She fought the pounding of her heart and trekked onward, reaching the end before either of them knew it.

"Well, _that_ was nerve-wracking." Willow commented as they both safely landed on the rocky ledge of the opposite peak.

"I'm just glad we could do it safely." He said, taking a light jab at her reckless behavior earlier. She only gave him a playful glare in return, the two sharing a smile before continuing.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Canella! Canella, wait! Aren't we going to stop and think about this?"

The two other trolls had already almost made it to the bottom of the mountain, with Canella furiously stomping her way along. Verne was completely in distress, his eyebrows knitted in worry as he replayed the scene repeatedly of his two dearest friends fighting. It was one of the worst things he had ever had the misfortune of witnessing.

"Canella!" He cried again, and he jumped back as she whipped around to face him, her expression like nails on a chalkboard.

" _What_ do you _want_ , Verne?" She hissed.

"I want you to go and make up with Willow! You guys are better than this!" He pleaded. She snapped herself to start walking again, but he quickly snatched up her arm. "Please! You can't split us up like this!"

"Watch me." She growled.

"What ever happened to 'everything will work out' and 'we've made it so far'? Was that all just a lie to keep our spirits up?" Verne pried. Canella wasn't taking the bait.

"If you're so passionate about a lost cause, why don't you go join her? You always seemed to like her more than me _anyways._ " Canella snapped, jerking her arm away only to be snatched up by the arms and forcefully jerked around to look him right in the eyes. His demeanor changed, a frustrated glare in his eyes.

"You _know_ that's not true." He said in an octave lower than before.

"Of course it's true. It always has been. I see the way you two interact. Gosh, could it be any more _obvious_ on your end?" She yelled with a roll of her eyes, and Verne was completely taken aback. After all his efforts and all of the playful jabs made by others and themselves….she truly _believed_ this?

"I would _never_ think of Will in that way, Nell, you _know_ that. She's…..she's like a sister to me, for Pete's sake!" He cried out, throwing his hands out for emphasis. Canella just stared at him.

"And what am I?" She asked, a pout curling up on her lip. Verne looked at her and immediately lost all cohesive thoughts.

"Canella, you're…..you're…." He stammered, but in a split second his lips were crashed onto hers, an arm hooked behind her neck to hold her there as her eyes closed tightly and she kissed back. After a few moments of a heated exchange, the two pulled apart and Verne looked at her in a new light, a small smile spread across his face.

"You're my dream come true, Nell." He whispered on certainty. He watched her expression soften considerably, and she reached up to trace a finger along his jawline.

"Nice try, Verne. But I'm still not going back." She said, her voice firm but he could sense the emotion behind it. His heart sank and she pulled away, turning about and walking off. He sighed, putting a hand on the back of his neck and rubbing it in frustration. What a piece of work she was. And he almost hated how he loved it.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The evening wore on and it was well past eight o'clock when Briar and Willow decided to find a place to rest. Unfortunately, there were no caves in the surrounding area, but there was a particular indent in the mountain's side that was large enough to take some shelter from the winds, and it was here that the two took their break.

"Do you think it's much further to the hideout?" Willow asked. Briar sat down next to her, letting out a sigh as he leaned back against the wall.

"Hard to tell from this position. If only one of us could fly…" He said, and at this he looked to her expectantly. She giggled, giving his arm a playful shove.

"Don't look at me! I'm just a troll." She said. He chuckled.

"I know, I know. Just joking." He assured her.

The two sat in silence for a moment, stealing glances at one another. Briar saw the look of curiosity fall upon Willow's features, and he saw her lips curve into a small smile.

"Briar?" She said in a hush. He swallowed hard.

"Yes, Willow?" He asked. She brought her knees up to her chest, hugging them close as she kept her gaze locked on the ground.

"When this is all over…..what do you plan on doing?" She asked. The question was random at best, and he sighed.

"Uuummm I haven't given it much thought…probably go home. I've been away for way too long." He informed her. She nodded.

"….why?" He asked.

"I don't know, I just….maybe wanted to have you come home with my mom and I….meet everybody there. Even my dad. Though I can't promise he'll take a liking to you immediately." She explained. He felt the familiar heat rise to his cheeks, and he dared himself to ask the next question.

"Why wouldn't he take a liking to me?" He asked.

"Because he'll think you're my boyfr-!" She caught herself, her cheeks and ears flushing a deep blue and her eyes wide with panic. Briar's eyes flew open in surprise, and she fought to redeem herself.

"I mean, I'm not saying we _are,_ I'm just saying that that's what _he_ would think. I was just…." She noticed how he pressed closer to her, gently taking her hand and giving it a squeeze. The smile that he offered would have reduced her to a puddle had she been standing.

"It's okay, Will. I know what you meant." He said on a voice as soft as velvet. The mention of her nickname made her melt inside even more, and she focused all her energy on the warmth of his hand around hers.

"I…I think I'll just stop talking now." Willow declared bashfully, looking to her toes and resting her chin on her knees. However, the fact that neither pulled their hand away from the hold they had was reason enough to keep her heartrate going rather rapidly.

Before her mind could stop her body, she found herself digging her heels into the frigid ground, pushing herself ever so slowly towards Briar as if to make it unnoticeable. However, the moment her arm touched his, it was all over. He let go of her hand and reached around to lay an arm across her shoulders, pulling her the rest of the way until her head was nestled in the crook of his neck and her entire side was pressed against his. She released air that she didn't realize she had been holding, and Briar wasted no time in nuzzling his cheek against her forehead. Willow had never had so much physical contact with a male troll in her entire life, and she wondered if it was the altitude, the cold, or the fact that it was just the two of them. Or perhaps all three.

Regardless, she could cut the tension in the air with a knife as the two sat on the snowy ledge, enjoying each other's warmth and presence. She could hear his steady heartbeat in her ear, and something was gnawing at her. She steeled herself to speak.

"Briar?" She mumbled.

"What is it, Will?" He asked quietly. She bit her lip in anxiety.

"…..I'm glad I met you." She said on a voice so tiny that the young male troll almost didn't hear it. Slowly, she felt his head and chest shift to accommodate his turn, and with her heart in her ears she looked up. His eyes…..oh how they shone, even in the dimming light of day.

"Me too." He mumbled, and her brain went into a frenzy as he started to lean in. She could smell his scent of pine and earthy tones. He was so close…

In a flash, she pulled away, standing up and straightening herself out.

"Let's get going. The hideout shouldn't be too far from here." She said, and began walking without looking back at him. Though out of the corner of her eye, Willow watched Briar's shoulders slump in defeat before he lazily pulled himself to his feet.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The snow crunched beneath their feet in rhythm, their eyes scouring every last inch of surface for a sign of anything that could bring them closer to their destination.

"Well, if it's any _good_ kind of hideout, it's going to be a challenge to find. I doubt the purebloods are much different in the sense that they want their hidden places to stay hidden." Briar hypothesized as he noted the look of frustration on the Princess' features. She nodded absentmindedly.

"Yes, but Chief Blaire said that it would be the only one on this peak, so it can't be _that_ hard to find." She pointed out.

"Regardless, it's going to be a gamble no matter how you slice it." He said.

"No worries. I have full confidence in both of us." Willow said in a nonchalant manner. This made Briar look to her and smile, although she did not do the same. Her eyes were fixed on a point ahead. Raising a brow, he tilted his head in interest.

"What is it?" He asked. She lifted a finger to the direction she was staring.

"Does that boulder look a little off to you?" She asked. Following her sights, Briar observed a rather discolored rock that indeed stuck out like a sore thumb. It was round and tan in color, quite the contrast to its gray and jagged neighbors.

"Let's check it out." Willow said, and once again, she extended her hair up to its ledge, pulling herself up and then turning back to do the same for Briar. Upon further investigation, they found a strange symbol carved onto the surface of the tan rock. It looked to a swirl of some sort, but an arrow sliced through it perfectly down the middle.

"Huh. Strange marking, huh Briar?" Willow said. When she received no answer, she looked back to him and found his inching himself away from the stone, his face widened in absolute horror.

"Briar? What is it?" The Princess asked in alarm, and with a stammer, the young troll spoke.

"I-I know that symbol….I know it almost too well…." He said.

"What?" Willow questioned impatiently.

"That's the symbol for the purebloods' Royal Guard, They are the most elite soldiers of the current king….." He said. "I remember seeing that on their flag when they attacked my village as a kid…..I was hoping to never see it again…." He said, completely in panic mode. Willow drew near to him.

"Hey, hey, hey, it's okay. You're fine." She said, and she turned back to the stone and placed both hands on its edge.

"Whoa, what are you doing?" He exclaimed, placing an urgent hand on her shoulder.

"You said this symbol indicates purebloods, so this must be the entrance to the hideout that Chief Blaire told us about. Now come on, help me move this thing." She said. Reluctantly, he came forward and did so. As they pushed harder, the stone gave way and soon, the gaping hole of yet another cave greeted them ominously.

"Let's go." Willow ordered, starting inside without so much as another thought. Briar followed behind her cautiously, but was completely taken aback as took his hand to pull him along.

Willow's eyes continually adjusted to the darkness, until something glittered off in the distance. She made a direct line for it, and her face lit up in recognition as she spotted her mother's hairpin lying amongst the rubble.

"Look, Briar! I found the second one! That means Mom _has_ to be this way!" She squealed happily, shoving the pin into her pocket along with the other one.

"Will, need I remind you that it's been ten years. There's no guarantee she's even _near_ here." He said skeptically.

"Gee, Canella, I thought you left a while ago." Willow joked bitterly. At the mention of her friend's name, she frowned. Briar was about to reach out to comfort her, but she quickly turned away and continued walking.

The two came to a yet another split in their journey, both ways looking rather promising. Willow frowned, at a loss on which direction to go.

 _Follow your heart. It will never mislead you._

Willow smiled at her grandfather's wise words, and she did so. Ultimately, the right seemed to tug at her soul a little more urgently, so she started down its narrow path without hesitation. Briar followed wordlessly, continuing to skim the surrounding area with apprehension.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Stumbling along the hillside, Verne and Canella had almost made it back to the village they had been at earlier. The two had not spoken since their exchange at the base of the mountain, and Verne found himself running full-force into Canella as she froze in place.

"What? What's wrong?" He asked.

"It's awfully dark down there." Canella commented. Verne took the liberty to look down, and found the village below them in a complete hush. No lanterns were lit, and the dark silhouettes of the huts stood resolute against the winds of the night.

"Well, it _is_ getting late. Everybody has probably gone to bed for the night." Verne pointed out.

"Yeah…" Canella mumbled, and the two slowly continued their walk past the village.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Deeper and deeper they ventured into the illustrious cave, noting the abandoned carvings on its walls and the discarded supplies thrown haphazardly along the floor.

"We're so close, Briar. I can _feel_ it!" Willow said as she scurried along the dark corridor of the hideout. Briar was looking behind them every few seconds nervously.

"Willow…" He said, knitting his eyebrows in worry. "I don't like this place….it's giving me weird vibes."

"Come on, Briar! Just a little further! This place can't go on _forever!_ " She bubbled positively, and he only could frown in response. She took note of this.

 _Why is he acting so weird?_ Willow thought, trying to place his anxiety for a moment. However, her concern was short lived as they came to the end of that current corridor which took a sharp left turn. In an instant, they were doused in pitch black, and Willow's footing slowed considerably amidst the dark atmosphere. She jumped as a hand found her shoulder in the dark.

"Stay close. Anything could happen." Briar warned, and again she was thrown for a loop at his odd tone and behavior.

However, a glowing light off in the distance caught her eye, and she ventured forward with a speed that would normally be considered dangerous, but the Princess somehow did not care as she came to a doorway leading into a large room in the cave. What she saw next made everything fall away from her mind except that very moment.

There, placed atop a particular boulder, lay a mass of sorts. Willow squinted her eyes to get a better look, with the last remnants of daylight being her only help as she tried to make it out. Heavy chains rattled against the stone's surface as the mass began to shift and groan, and it was only with the flash of bubblegum pink hair that Willow connected all the dots and her heart pounded.

"MOM!" She cried. A blanket fell away from the mass and revealed a bright pink troll dressed in a simple blue dress, her head whipping around to face the call of her name. Her weary pink eyes widened at the sight in front of her, her mouth opening slightly.

"Willow?" She mumbled, her eyes squinting to make out the girl in front of her. Willow wasted no time in dropping everything she was carrying and running to her, throwing her arms around the troll with a grunt of surprise.

"Mom." Willow said repeatedly, hugging her tight and trying to contain her trembling body from the adrenaline that had rushed through her body. Poppy stroked her deep blue hair, a smile of absolute wonder spread across her face. Mother and daughter embraced for several moments, lost in each other's presence. Finally, Poppy pulled away from her slightly.

"Oh, Willow! Let me have a look at you!" Poppy gushed, holding both sides of her daughter's face as the Princess began to tear up. Poppy smiled at her, stroking her cheeks lovingly.

"My, how you've _grown._ Look at you! My little girl…" She bubbled with tears filling her own eyes. Willow's breathing was sporadic, her heart feeling as if it could swell from her chest in joy as she looked upon her mother for the first time in ten years.

Age had been kind to Poppy, but time still wore on her in subtle hints. Her hair was not as lustrous a pink as Willow remembered, and the faintest wrinkles could be found at the corners of her eyes as she smiled. However, they still had that undeniable sparkle as she looked upon her daughter with love. Willow blinked several times and it was then that her companion spoke up from the doorway.

"Willow, we have to go. Right now." Briar said, continuing to look around in anxiety. Willow ignored him and looked to her mother again.

"We have to get you out of here." She declared, starting to look around for anything that could help break them with ease. Immediately, Poppy's demeanor changed and she grabbed her daughter's wrist.

"No! Willow, you have to leave this place!" She begged, her eyebrows knitting together in panic.

"Without _you_? Not in a million years." Willow snapped back, trying to pull her hand away but her mother's grip was quite strong.

"No, Willow, please…" She said, but Willow was facing her again in a split second.

"Mom, it's Dad." She said, her voice shaking as she fought back another wave of tears that threatened to escape. Poppy froze, her grip slacking as her eyes widened in surprise.

"What about him?" She asked. Willow sighed, clenching her fists for a split second before forcing the words out of her.

"He lost his colors again, after you disappeared and…..Mom…..he's dying. We _have_ to bring you back before it's too late." Her voice was shaky and full of emotion, and Poppy felt her heart tear open at her daughter's words. Her posture completely slackened, and her eyes fell to the floor in disbelief.

"No….that _can't_ be true….Branch…" She mumbled, tears now beginning to flow freely. With this, Willow bent down once more to pick up a large rock.

"We have to get you out of here. We don't have any time to waste." She repeated, heaving the rock above her head and preparing to slam it down on the chains below her mother's feet. However, a frantic grab for both of her hands made Willow look to her mother in confusion.

"No, Willow, you don't understand! They'll-!" She began, but suddenly she froze. Willow was completely confused as to what was happening until her mother's eyes lifted to meet her equals, both possessing a vibrant pink.

"….how did you find this place?" She asked quietly. Willow's face twisted in confusion, and she set down the rock for a moment.

"We followed your hairpins that you left behind." She explained. At this, her mother's expression fell even further.

"Hairpins?" She repeated.

"Yeah, Mom. These ones!" She said, pulling the two crystal hairpins from her pocket and extending it out for her to see. Poppy eyed them curiously, her mouth still turned in a tight frown and her eyes skeptical. At this, Briar spoke again.

"Willow, we have to leave. Come on." He begged, starting to reach for her. Willow only gave him a sideways glance before watching her mother shake her head.

"Willow, honey…..I didn't place these." She mumbled.

Everything came to a screeching halt, and Willow's heart sunk in her chest. Her eyes glistened with frustration as she tried to process her mother's words. Rapidly, she shook her head.

"No, no, of course you did. Who else would have?" The Princess asked.

"You weren't supposed to find me…." Poppy whispered, and Willow could only stare in complete disbelief at her mother's words. How was it possible?

"Willow, come on…" Briar said, grabbing her arm, but not before a new voice made them all snap their gaze in its direction.

"Why so soon? We're only getting started!"

At this, the three watched as the room flooded with lantern light and a mass of trolls appeared from seemingly thin air. The foremost one, a tall and scraggily looking fellow, grinned maliciously at them through his round spectacles, and was dressed in business attire with a heavy coat draping his shoulders. At least ten trolls on either side flanked him with swords drawn and uniforms of dark blue and white adorning their bodies. The symbol from earlier emblazoned upon their own cloaks.

Thorn and his two henchmen appeared from behind a particular boulder, devious smirks spread across their faces as they also took their spot in staring at the Princess and Briar who stood very close to Poppy. Three more trolls appeared to block the only doorway, lances pointed towards them at an angle in defense.

"Hiya, Highness. Miss me?" Thorn greeted Willow, who only curled her lip in disgust.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 **Cliffhanger! Sorry, not sorry! Muahahaha!**

 **We're getting close to the end, dear friends! Thank you for staying with me up until this point and with that, I bid you adieu until the next installment!**

 **Sincerely,**

 **Heartforhumanity845**


	14. Chapter 14

Water sloshed amongst their feet as they crossed an icy little brook, breathing elevated and heartrates up. They had traveled a good distance so far, and it was as they neared an unfamiliar part of the forest that the two looked around for a sign of the portal.

"Man, I hope we can find it." Verne said, not receiving a response from his companion. After a few more steps, she came to a halt.

"Verne?" She called back.

"Yeah?" He responded, nearing her before also taking a pause to look at her expectantly. He could see the gears turning about in her head, and she turned a little bit more towards him.

"Do you remember what Briar had said….back when we made camp after being attacked by the purebloods. Willow was laying down remnants of the shattered crystal. What were his exact words?" It was quite a specific point in time, but Verne racked his brain regardless. He pushed a bit of air out of his pursed lips, his eyebrows raised.

"Ummmm, he asked how a bag of invisible rocks could help us?" He took a shot in the dark, and he watched as Canella's face fell completely. In a second, she was bolting back down the way they had just come from.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, Nell where are you going?" Verne yelled after her, running along until almost slamming into her as she swung her legs over a fallen log in their path.

"We have to go back." She declared.

"What, why?" Verne asked, confused as to his companion's sudden change of heart. She stopped again, locking eyes with him for a moment to catch her breath.

"Willow never told him anything specific. She just said they had spells attached to them." She pointed out, and Verne agreed but still couldn't connect the dots.

"Okay? Your point?"

"So how did Briar know they were invisible?" She said ominously, and a few moments later, Verne's face fell as well into one of absolute shock.

"Oh no." With that, the two trolls bolted off again towards the mountain.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

A stare-down had commenced between the two parties, and it was with a permanent scowl that Princess Willow dared herself to speak.

"You guys again? Why won't you leave me alone?" She yelled.

"Princess, I must warn you not to speak in such an ill manner to my fellow pureblood. It will warrant even worse results to you." The bespectacled troll said in a nasally voice. Her attention turned to him.

"Who are you?" She hissed, her fists clenching tightly and her posture as straight as a board.

"My name is Deveraux. I am the King's advisor, and also, your escort to the homeland." He said in a gracious manner, though his snake-like grin never left his face.

"And what on _earth_ makes you think that I'll even consider going with you?" Willow said back on a tone of vicious certainty.

"Oh, but you _must_ , dear girl. That is, if you want to save everyone you care about." Deveraux replied. It was with this that Poppy stood up, lunging at him but barely getting far due to her restraints.

"Leave her alone!" She screamed.

"The jig is up, Highness. You can't protect your daughter anymore!" Deveraux hissed back at her, his amber eyes narrowed as a wave of energy blasted from him in her direction. In an instant, Poppy cried out and fell to the floor in a heap, and in a panic Willow rushed forward to catch her, brushing her bangs away and looking at her frantically.

"What did you _do_ to her?" She shrieked.

"Relax, Princess. I have just cast a sleeping spell on her, which she has had done quite a few times before. After all, how else were we supposed to keep her in check while we waited for the right time to lure you in?"

"Lure me in? What are you talking about? And what is my mother supposedly protecting me from?" Willow snapped back without hesitation.

"Oh, my dear child. My dear, sweet, innocent child. Only your destiny." He said.

"I'm not a child." Willow barked.

"Oh we know, dear one, we know. Trust me." Deveraux said mysteriously.

"Oh yeah? And how _would_ you know that, you piece of slime?" Willow snapped back. He chuckled again, and he gestured for one of the soldiers to step forward. He extended a scroll out.

"Because, dear Princess, we have been watching you and your ancestors for a very…." He allowed the soldier to release one hand, making the scroll cascade to full length. "….very….." It finally hit the bottom, stopping at her feet. "…. _very_ long time."

Willow looked to the scroll, which had in very ornate detail a family tree. Her eyes scaled to the top, of which she found King Rowan and Queen Azalea, followed by their children, so many of which there was not enough time to count. The tree went on and on down the line, until names that began to look familiar came across her sights.

King Peppy and Queen Petunia…King Branch and Queen Poppy….her. She was at the very bottom, with a number 20 circled in red next to her name. Looking back, she realized that select trolls along the line also had a number emblazoned next to their names, and she looked up in confusion.

"What is this?" She asked.

"Why, it's your family tree! All leading back to that wretched king of yours, Rowan. I'm afraid I cannot give out much more information than that, for the King himself would like to relay that to you." He said. Willow narrowed her eyes.

"You still haven't convinced me, you wretched troll." She hissed.

"Careful, Highness. Your insults will only count against you later on." Deveraux warned, wagging his finger in the air like a meddlesome parent.

"I'm _not_ going with you. And that's final." Willow said, backing up into Briar a bit for support. At seeing this, Thorn cast a wicked smile, hopping down from his spot and putting his hands behind his back.

"Wow, Briar, perhaps I should have just gone with _your_ method and buttered her up all this time. Seems to have worked _wonders_ for you." He said nonchalantly, reveling in the look of shock on Willow's face and the face of pure rage on Briar's. However, his expression soon changed as Willow turned to look at him, her eyes wide and her mouth open slightly.

"Briar…what is he talking about?" Willow asked him, and Briar's face was completely mortified. Slowly, he closed his eyes, reaching into his pocket. He opened a small vial, sprinkling its contents over his head. She watched as his green skin faded to a pale gray. He maintained his hair color and eye color, though they both paled slightly in vibrancy. Willow could feel her heart twisting in knots in her chest as realization struck her.

"You're…one of _them_?" She whispered, giving him a once over as he looked at her in absolute agony, his eyebrows knitting together in worry. The rush of fluid began to blur her vision and her lips tightened to hold back her cries.

"Has been since birth. Isn't that wonderful? You _actually thought_ he cared about you, didn't you?" Thorn said as he threw an arm around her shoulders. She wrenched herself away, glaring between them both, but ultimately landing on Briar.

"You….you've been in on it this entire time?" She whispered, still trying to process her disbelief at what had just developed.

"Willow, I-" Briar began, but he was cut off once more.

"Ding ding ding! Right again, Highness! Wow, you're _finally_ starting to figure it out, aren't you?" Thorn chided sarcastically, hanging himself on Briar's neck as the troll looked back at her with the biggest frown. Willow sighed in despair, feeling absolutely crushed as Briar said nothing in his own defense. He cast his eyes to the floor in shame.

"You see, Princess, this entire….'quest' you've put yourself on has been a ploy ever since you started." Deveraux cut in, and Willow could barely contain her frustration until something popped up in her memory.

"But the villagers….the Chief…..they sent me here…." She pointed out desperately. Deveraux chuckled again.

"You mean _these_ villagers and Chief?" He said, gesturing to the space next to him. A couple of soldiers shoved the very Chief and villagers Willow had experienced into view, chains also adorning their wrists and ankles like Poppy. Chief Blaire, or whatever his true name was, looked down at Poppy with a frown, shaking his head to try and convince her that it wasn't intentional. Willow searched for something else in her head.

"Mom's hairpins…." She mumbled, and she watched as Deveraux dug in his pocket and pulled out the third one, holding it out for her to see. She gasped softly, blinking several times to combat the tears that threatened to fall from her eyes. At her silence, the King's advisor clicked his tongue.

"Princess, I'm afraid that you have been completely and utterly fooled. And nothing gives me more entertainment than to see you at your wit's end." He said triumphantly, and at this Willow looked up to him in utter disdain, fury riddling her features. "Your overzealous and sickeningly positive attitude have gotten you nowhere but in our clutches….and now…..well, now the choice is yours." He said. Willow's eyes fell to her mother once more, her sleeping form peaceful and resolute amidst the emotional and mental war going on in her own head. Her grip around her own hands tightened, and she gritted her teeth.

"What choice?" She grumbled angrily.

"You can either come quietly with us to the homeland and we'll free your mother, or you can try to resist and we'll keep you both." He said, beginning to pick at his long, yellow fingernails. As Willow began to weigh her options, he decided to add on another snippet. "But then…it's a lose-lose situation for dear old daddy, isn't it?" He mocked in a baby-like voice, and it was at this that Willow's glare shot like razor-hot knives into his eyes.

"Don't you _dare_ bring my father into this." She hissed on a murderous tone.

"Oh ho ho, so feisty, Princess! I dare say, if you were a _pureblood_ , you would certainly frighten many!" Deveraux mocked once more. She barely so much as started to grimace when a shrill cry caught her attention.

"Willow!"

The Princess turned to spot Canella and Verne desperately pushing against the guards at the door to reach her, but were met with the strong bars of their lances. She gasped.

"Guys…..you came back…." She mumbled in surprise, her heart continuing to wrench about in her chest.

"Of course we did! Briar's a-!" Canella started to say, but it was on further observation that she realized Briar was standing a few feet away from Willow. At the sight of him, her nose wrinkled in disgust and her eyes bore into his.

"Oh, you _jerk!_ Wait 'til I get my hands on you!" She growled, lunging forward but once again being brutally shoved back by the guards. A scuffle ensued, with Verne desperately trying to calm his friend down as the guards fought them mercilessly.

"Enough of this!" Deveraux shouted, and suddenly another powerful wave of energy emitted from him and all action around them ceased. The only ones unaffected by the change were Willow and Deveraux, and the Princess looked around in horror as everyone stood frozen in place, a spell of some sort.

"How did you do that?" She asked quietly.

"You'll find that us purebloods are _full_ of surprises." Deveraux said. "Now, what's it going to be, Highness? And do choose carefully. Everyone's life may depend on it."

Willow reverted into her own mind over the issue at hand. What could she possibly begin to choose? Either option was a big risk, and there was no guarantee that the horrible troll and his soldiers would even keep their end of the deal. There was so much that she didn't know, and that scared her the most. Whatever it was that they needed her for, they were willing to kidnap/kill trolls to get it. Things were at an absolute high-point of stress, and she knew that her answer now would forever alter her future, as well as those she cared about.

She thought of everyone back home in Troll Village. DJ, Biggie, Guy Diamond, Cooper, Smidge, Satin, Chenille, Fuzzbert…their faces all flashed across her mind as she thought of what was best for them. She cared for them like family, and she knew that her choice would affect them as well.

She looked to her mother, who still lay asleep on the floor. How peaceful she looked…the flush of her pink skin was a marvel to observe. It was no mystery as to why her father had fallen in love with her. She had never seen a pair more meant to be than them, and she thought of her dying father. How they completed one another in every possible way a couple could. They needed each other, that was all there was to it.

She observed Briar, who still had the most morose look upon his face. Her entire being wrenched at his sight, and she fought back tears. She didn't know what to think of him.

Then to her friends. The ones who had been by her side since forever. They had laughed with her, cried with her, spent hours on end with her on stupid projects and silly events that helped pass the time. All of it seemed to come together in this moment as she reflected. She would do anything for them, and now she was convinced they would do the same.

She had traveled so far. She had fought so hard. She did not allow anything to hold her back, and it had won her the joy of finding her mother again. The immeasurable achievement was grand in her own mind, but it was only half the mission.

Willow knew that the purebloods would not let go of her so easily since they had just gotten her. Even with their vicious scheming and their ultimate besting of her in luring her straight into their trap, she knew she had to be smart. It was the only way any of them would make it out alive.

Finally, her mind wandered to the driving force behind her entire journey. The very essence of her determination, and the reason she glared in the face of opposition with confidence.

Branch. Her father, her mentor, her first and dearest friend. The one who had taken care of her on nights when she was sick, who had went out of his way to make sure she smiled even when he himself did not. Who had taken on the role of father and mother in Poppy's absence, and had absolutely killed it. The one who had taught her how to fight for herself, and never settle for anything less than the very best the world had to offer. Who dared her to dream, to live as if nothing could hold her back. The very man who had brought who she was out for the entire world to see. She only existed because of his love for Poppy, and in time for her as well.

She couldn't let him down. She had to make things right. Even if it cost her everything, his happiness trumped all other things.

With her heart and mind set, Princess Willow lifted her eyes to meet the bespectacled troll in front of her, taking in a deep breath.

"Okay. I've made my decision." She said, clutching at her pocket where the satchel of shattered crystal lay, along with her pocketknife.

 _His happiness above all else._

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 **Alrighty folks! Sorry for the short chapter, but the next one will be longer, I promise! Stay tuned! I've left yet another tantalizing cliffhanger for you, since I know how much ya'll love them! (LOL)**

 **Many thanks for reading and leaving wonderful reviews for me to read and smile at!**

 **Sincerely,**

 **Heartforhumanity845**


	15. Chapter 15

_The entire forest was teeming with life in the early morning sunlight. Birds chirped their sweet melodies in the branches above and the critters of the ground scuttled about below. Flowers of all colors and blooms sprouted along the grass._

 _A pair of trolls sat closely beneath a drooping tree, exchanging elated glances to one another every now and again. They marveled at the bundle tightly held in the male troll's arms. She was barely a few hours old and had fallen into a peaceful slumber as they looked upon her with love._

" _Our beautiful girl….." Poppy gushed, reaching up to brush a finger along the curve of her extremely small and soft cheek. The baby's facial muscles twitched slightly at the contact, and her mouth opened into a wide yawn. As she settled back down into her blanket, Branch chuckled softly._

" _She's perfect, Poppy." He said, turning to his wife. "Just like you."_

" _Oh, stop!" Poppy said bashfully, giving him a light shove before he reached up to cup her face. She stopped, realizing by the look in his eyes that he was serious. The two leaned in and shared a gentle kiss, holding it for a long while. They pulled apart just as softly, keeping their eyes on each other. Suddenly, Poppy's eyes flew wide open._

" _Oh my gosh, Branch! We've been so distracted that we haven't thought of a name yet!" She exclaimed._

" _Hmmmm you're right." He conferred, and the two sat quietly for a moment._

" _What about….Ivy? I've always liked that name." Poppy suggested. Branch looked down at their little girl for a moment, then shook his head._

" _No…" He disagreed._

" _Magnolia? We could call her Maggie for short!" Poppy's next suggestion had them both looking at their child, then they locked eyes and shook their heads._

" _Nah."_

 _Branch had yet to come up with a suggestion, racking his brain quite passionately in search of a name fit for their beautiful princess. He looked around, and just as he was beginning to give up, he eyed the drooping limbs of the beautiful willow tree they sat under. He smiled softly._

" _How about…Willow?" He asked on a voice as gentle as could be. At this, the tiny troll princess awoke to coo at them, her large pink eyes sparkling in the morning sun's rays. She babbled incoherently and smiled at them, and the two monarchs of Troll Village both completely melted._

" _Willow…I like it." Poppy declared, resting her head on Branch's shoulder to watch their little girl interact with them._

" _Little Willow…." Branch said, mumbling the name to himself to make it familiar on his tongue. The little girl squealed with delight, smiling at them and squirming about to free her hands. However, the moment was short-lived as the baby's face twisted into one of confusion, and just like that, she was crying._

" _Oh, no, no, no, Willow…..my sweetheart….don't cry." Poppy fussed, knitting her eyebrows in worry. What had caused the dramatic change in mood was unbeknownst to them, seeing as babies were about as predictable as the weather. Regardless, Willow was quite upset now and her face was flushed a darker blue with heat from her crying._

 _Branch frowned. His daughter was barely six hours old and it already tore him to pieces to see her in distress. Suddenly, he knew exactly what to do to ease her._

 _ **Come stop your crying**_

 _ **It will be alright**_

 _ **Just take my hand**_

 _ **Hold it tight**_

 _Though she continued to cry, he smiled gently at her. Poppy immediately turned her gaze to him, absolutely smitten, as she always was when she heard her husband sing._

 _ **I will protect you**_

 _ **From all around you**_

 _ **I will be here**_

 _ **Don't you cry**_

 _By the time he had uttered the last of the second part, Willow's crying had eased up quite a bit and she stared at her dad in wonder, trying to process what she was hearing._

 _ **For one so small,**_

 _ **You seem so strong**_

 _ **My arms will hold you,**_

 _ **Keep you safe and warm**_

 _ **This bond between us,**_

 _ **Can't be broken**_

 _Branch felt Poppy rest her head against his, her hand settling atop one of his shoulders. He flashed a smile at her as she joined in on the next part._

 _ **I will be here**_

 _ **Don't you cry**_

' _ **Cause you'll be in my heart**_

 _ **Yes, you'll be in my heart**_

 _ **From this day on**_

 _ **Now and forever more**_

 _ **You'll be in my heart**_

 _ **No matter what they say**_

 _ **You'll be in my heart**_

 _ **Always**_

 _Willow had begun to coo again as she listened to her parents hum the rest of the tune. Branch began to rock her back and forth soothingly, his smile permanently spread across his face as he continued to serenade his little girl. His Queen at his side, and the world around them all abuzz at the royal birth._

 _It was the happiest he had been in his entire life._

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

A green and yellow troll strolled outside of his workshop with a whistle on his lips and a watering can in hand, content on watering his flower beds on that fine morning. He took a turn about his pod and tilted the can forward, continuing to whistle his happy little tune. His eyes began to wander, and that's when he spotted them.

Far off down the path in front of him leading into the woods, a small group of trolls was slowly making their way back to the village. Colors of all kinds were among them, but it was the blazing shades of pink in the middle that caught his eye. In disbelief, he rubbed at his eyes and looked again, only to beam brightly from ear to ear.

"Twinkle! Go get His Highness King Peppy! Queen Poppy has returned!" He cried excitedly, making the mother pop her head out rapidly from the downstairs window.

"What?" She questioned, but upon seeing the brood herself, she quickly sprinted out and down the street, screaming the good news for all to hear.

As Poppy entered the village square along with Willow, Verne, and Canella, they were met with the most joyous crowd. Trolls of all shapes and sizes came to greet their long-lost Queen, hugging and singing in absolute joy.

"POPPY!" The pink troll heard someone screech particularly loud, and she barely had time to register its source before she was tackled to the ground by an overly excited Cooper.

"You're back! Oh my gosh, you're back!"

"We've missed you!"

"You haven't changed a bit!"

The Snack Pack gushed their happiness relentlessly as they all took turns hugging her close, and the Queen couldn't help but let a couple of tears fall at the sight of her friends. How she had missed them so.

"Poppy?"

She turned about to face her father, who had caused a gap in the crowd as he walked slowly towards her. She smiled.

"Dad…" She whispered, throwing her arms around her elderly father. They embraced for a long moment, and then he quickly pulled away, taking both of her hands.

"Come! This way! We haven't a moment to lose!" He ushered urgently, guiding the Queen along back to the royal pod.

Willow, Canella, and Verne followed close behind, weaving their way through the mass of trolls who also followed the Queen and her father.

Upon arrival back to the pod, Poppy slowed considerably until she was standing outside the master bedroom door. Light flooded from the windows and into the room, pouring out into the hallway, and Poppy could feel her chest tighten as she was preparing for what lay inside. The weight of a hand on her shoulder made her jump slightly, and she turned to face her daughter's soft expression, a gentle smile gracing her lips.

"Go on, Mom. He needs you." Willow whispered. Poppy offered a bittersweet smile to her daughter, giving a nod before turning and padding her way forward slowly. Nobody followed her as she entered, and she felt her heart drop into her stomach as her eyes fell upon the scene in front of her.

Branch lay there completely still, the sunlight doing no favors to his already pale gray complexion. His chest rose and fell very faintly, his left arm outside the covers with his palm facing upwards. His face was slumped in her direction. The sight of him in such a state was heartbreaking, and Poppy slowly advanced forward until the brush of the edge of the bed met her upper legs. Gradually, she reached over and placed a hand in his, her touch soft and gliding along until it locked tightly around it. She could already feel tears welling in her eyes as she looked on him with great worry and sorrow.

 _This_ is what he had been reduced to without her? She was completely devastated.

Looking him over once, she weighed out her ideas on what to do. She had to think of something quick, when something came to memory like a lightbulb in her head.

 _You with the sad eyes_

She sang in perfect tune, watching his face for a reaction. So far, nothing.

 _Don't be discouraged_

She placed her other hand atop the one clasped in his, bringing it up to her chest.

 _Oh I realize_

 _It's hard to take courage_

 _In a world full of people_

 _You can lose sight of it all_

 _The darkness inside you_

 _Makes you feel so small_

As if on cue, Poppy watched as the smallest twinge of blue popped up in a strand on Branch's hair, close to the hairline. It was subtle, but she continued.

 _Show me a smile_

 _Don't be unhappy_

 _Can't remember when_

 _I last saw you laughing_

 _This world makes you crazy_

 _And you've taken all you can bear_

 _Just…..call me up, 'cause I will always be there_

The color began to spread along each lock, filling out in the most vibrant blue, and she watched his face begin to twitch in response. Her heart swelled, and she began again.

 _And I see your true colors shining through_

 _I see your true colors, and that's why I love you_

Branch's eyes slowly opened, his vision blurry but beginning to make out the shape of an angel at his bedside. Her fluorescent pink hair was just as beautiful as he remembered, and as he continued to come back into focus, he looked into those magenta eyes….those eyes that could make the whole world stop. He watched her expression brighten.

"Poppy?" He asked on a weak and raspy voice, reaching up to touch her face. She chuckled breathlessly, a single crystal tear trailing down her cheek as she reached over for the side of his face as well.

"Branch." She mumbled, giving a watery smile before the two threw their arms around each other and buried themselves in the other's warmth. They desperately clung to one another, their auras glowing in such a way that it turned the room into a bright display of ultraviolet purple dancing with the sunlight. Blue and pink melded together in such a way that would bring anyone a sense of joy, and both could feel as if they could explode from the happiness that throbbed inside them. They pulled away, and Branch held onto his wife's face on either side, his thumbs stroking her cheekbones.

"I thought I lost you…." He whispered, tears falling freely as he choked out the words.

"You'll never lose me, Branch. Not now, not ever again." Poppy replied softly, and the two locked lips in the most joyous kiss that anyone had ever seen. The King and Queen seemed to meld together in their exchange, their hair entwining in harmony as they continued to kiss each other longingly, trying desperately to make up for all the time lost. It was a long while before either of them broke away for air, and once they had done so, Branch just continued to hold her face, his other hand intertwined with hers on the bed.

"You're as beautiful as I remember." Branch mumbled, and Poppy blushed heavily, closing her eyes and leaning her cheek into his hand. They smiled at one another, until suddenly Branch's face fell.

"Willow." He mumbled. "Where's Willow?" He questioned urgently, sitting up and taking a wild look around. Poppy turned to look at the group standing in the doorway, but found that the place her daughter had been standing just minutes ago was now vacant. The trolls began to look around wildly for their Princess, calling out her name.

"I swear, Branch…she was right behind me…." Poppy explained frantically. However, the monarchs of Troll Village watched as Verne and Canella pushed their way through the accumulating crowd at the doorway, their hands clasped together in front of them and their heads hung low.

"Where is our daughter?" Poppy asked them desperately, hoping to anything and everything that the truth was not what she thought it was.

"Willow wanted both of you to know…how much she loves you." Verne choked out, squeezing his eyes shut and turning even further away from his superiors. Canella pouted to keep herself from breaking down.

Everyone began to gasp in shock.

"No…." whimpered DJ as the Snack Pack exchanged worried glances before looking to the King and Queen. Poppy looked frantically outside the window, her eyes wide in a panic.

"NO! Willow! My baby!" She cried out. Branch immediately took her up into his arms, and Poppy sobbed into his chest while a look of confusion and dread spread across his own features. What on _earth_ had he missed?

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Willow smiled through her tears at the crystal ball, watching her parent's reunion with a watery smile and her hands hanging idly at her sides. She had slipped away from the royal pod with amazing ease, knowing that everyone would be too caught up in the moment between her parents to notice. Closing her eyes for a moment, she inhaled and exhaled deeply, turning to the one holding the ball.

"Okay, let's go." She mumbled, content on her journey ahead now.

Briar cautiously tucked the ball away in his satchel, keeping his eyes on her as they turned to face the glowing portal in front of them. As was their agreement, it was no turning back once they entered the portal to homeland. She had made Deveraux promise to leave Troll Village alone and to erase their encounter from her mother's memory, both of which seemed to be upheld dutifully. Now it was her turn. As she began her slow walk forward, Briar shook his head.

"Willow…." He began, practically begging her to rethink her choice with his tone.

"I said let's _go_." The Princess snapped back, turning halfway back in his direction. Briar's hand clenched tightly as she turned the rest of the way, her tears still flowing as her eyebrows knitted in agony.

"My parents are happy again." She whispered on certainty. "That's all I ever wanted."

All out of energy to argue with her, Briar reluctantly caught up to her as she began the walk forward again, slowly allowing them both to be engulfed in the blinding white light. A few more moments went by until Willow spoke again.

"I have to admit though…" She said, and it was at this that Briar looked upon her features, how they glowed in the magical power of the portal engulfing them. Her eyes lifted to his in a somewhat bitter but heartbroken manner. "…you almost had me."

He swallowed the lump in his throat at her words, watching her turn her gaze back to the path ahead. As they ventured further and further into pureblood, he watched something strange begin to happen.

A small streak of grayish-black began weaving its way along Willow's deep blue locks.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Branch and Poppy stood in their secret garden underneath their pod, walking amongst it in a grave silence. Poppy had spilled everything to Branch that she had been keeping for entirely too long, and it was upon this knowledge that he too took on a look of absolute despair. However, it wasn't long before they came upon what they were looking for.

The small bush of anemone flowers. Their white petals shone so brightly in the dim light, and water still clung to its leaves and branches. Branch reached out and plucked one free, examining it closely with Poppy holding on tightly to his hand.

 _Oh Willow…_ He thought to himself, tears brimming his eyes once more.

 _You were always enough….just as you are._

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 **And so concludes this story from yours truly. Okay, so it wasn't THAT much longer of a chapter, but I hope this was everything you all wanted it to be, and if it wasn't, don't fret! Be on the lookout for my follow-up fic to this, Come Back to Me, coming soon! So, if you happen to have any lingering questions or burning desires as to where you'd like this to go, I wouldn't give up just yet!**

 **I had to leave this story on a feels-fest, because that is my style and I love to dote on the heartstrings, both in melancholy and joyful terms. Perhaps it is a bit predictable as far as plotline goes, but I am an emotional person and that's how I roll. Things are not over for our favorite dynamic duo and their many friends, so please stay tuned!**

 **For the reviewer who questioned about why I deleted one of my one-shots, the explanation is on my profile. I promise to have many more to take its place here soon.**

 **Last and most important of all, I want to thank every single person who has favorited or followed my story, regardless of when you did so. I cannot express enough how much it means to me to have my story loved by others. I am not trying to catch sympathy from any of you, but I am having a lot of personal problems as of late and writing is my escape and my therapy to deal with what is going on around me. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for all your encouragement and support.**

 **If you have any suggestions for future stories, please leave them in a review for me to read and I will be happy to try and conjure up anything your heart desires, as a word of thanks!**

 **Other than that, this is Heartforhumanity845 signing out of this story and heading to click on that COMPLETE status! See you guys on the other side!**

 **With warmest regards,**

 **Heartforhumanity845 xxx**


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